Crimson Arrows
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: What happened in Gallia was but an argument compared to the conflict only months later. Crimea, Daein, Phoenicis, Gallia, Kilvas, Begnion, Goldoa, all these nations will witness the dawn of a new age... But will it be an age of pain, or an age of hope?
1. Frost

AUTHOR'S NOTE: IF THE DESCRIPTION DIDN'T TIP YOU OFF, THIS FANFIC IS THE SEQUEL TO MY EARLIER WORK 'GALLIAN NIGHTS.'

YOU CAN EASILY ACCESS GALLIAN NIGHTS THROUGH MY PROFILE.

THANKS A BUNCH FOR READING! XD

Crimson Arrows

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Chapter 1: Frost

--

Ice.

It smashed against the walls of the towering spires of Castle Nevassa, the howling winds helping it pound and boom. The cold winds blew through all the little cracks between the bricks of the castle, but as Pelleas shivered from the winter cold, there was no frost worst than the look in Izuka's eyes.

The black-robed advisor smirked.

"My prince, for too long have you stood idle when armies pounded across the land and when countless souls died in vain. Thus, thy servant believes that it is time for a change..." His smirk twisted into a sneer as he pulled out a dark violet tome and began to chant some jumbled dialog.

"Izuka, what are you doing?" Pelleas gasped, sweat pouring down his spine.

Ashnard's former aide laughed. Here was the Prince, no, the King of Daein, staring up at Izuka like some wounded deer. The facade had been in effect for too long.

Staring deep into the prince's eyes after he muttered the opening incantation, Izuka laughed. "Pelleas, it is for your own good. Lord of the Darkness, grant me the power to crush my foe. Balberith!"

A ring of violet fire burst from the ground and surround Izuka. Once they rose to his eye level, they shot high into the air and flew down towards Pelleas, closing in on the younger man from every angle.

"Izuka!" He screamed, covering his face as the violet flames danced ever closer. "Please, I never wanted to... Gah, please! Ashera have mercy!" The young man howled as the flames finally waltzed on his skin, consuming his entire body. As pain rushed through every nerve in his body, as his vision abruptly faded into darkness, and as he felt limbs and muscles melt away, Pelleas let out a final gasp "Mother," before collapsing on the ground.

Izuka laughed as he looked at the corpse. Here he was, standing before the Daein throne, in the halls where mighty kings once stood stalwartly to face any foe, and he had killed the last of Daein's royal line. But the scholar knew the truth behind the facade he'd used for so long. Pelleas was no king. He was an orphan, plopped on the throne as a puppet for the scholar's own ambitions. The real prince of Daein was out there, beyond his grasp perhaps... But would the world ever accept a stray branded as royalty?

--

A young, black haired lad was curled up in a little ball on a bed three times his size. His eyes suddenly shot open, and he felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine. "Strange," he thought, his fingers caressing his spine, "there shouldn't be any static now..." Soren yawned and forced himself awake. As the tactician for the Greil Mercenaries, he could not afford to be tardy.

Only months had passed since he last fought in the Gallian Civil War, and, yet, life seemed to have returned back to normal. Mia was, once again, forcing someone to train with her at all times, Rhys would always wince during a job and during training, Shinon would always complain, and Gatrie would always flirt with the nearest female, single or no.

His red eyes scanned the tent. Unlike the past, where he had nothing except Ike as a friend, there were neatly piled stacks of his belongings: tomes, trinkets, books, and a wide variety of things that were rather eccentric and wouldn't really belong in any category. Soren got off of his bed, walked forward and picked up a laguz stone that was placed neatly in the corner of the tent. As he caressed the strange stone he felt a surge of energy rush through him. It wasn't that surprising, for, after all, no matter how much of a beorc he appeared to be, Soren was a branded, a hybrid of beorc and laguz.

He sighed. The woman he loved was a beorc, and in the eyes of the beorc, branded were considered abominations. Even though the laguz began to be respected by beorc in some beorc nations, the fact remained that the very concept of branded was still taboo. Soren sighed, he hoped that Lucia would be willing to look beyond what he was biologically and fall in love with his soul, but he could never put his hopes up. After all, if you put too many expectations on someone or something, you are bound to get disappointed.

The young mage heard a minor scuffling outside of his tent, and Soren rolled his eyes. His ears were far superior to any beorc's, and he could tell that this 'intruder' wasn't an actual enemy. If it was a threat, this person would be much more careful when trying to sneak up on him, unless this was an amateur... However, if that was the case his other comrades outside the tent would have probably spotted the intruder by now.

Soren had mastered wind magic, so he merely muttered an incantation that he memorized. It was the incantation for the spell "Wind," the weakest of its kind. Pointing his fingers towards the noise, he let out a shout and the spell rammed itself into the intruder.

Sprinting out of his tent, Soren found that Boyd was sprawled on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Soren gave the axeman a glare, crossing his arms in a haughty manner.

Boyd got up and laughed embarrassingly. "Erm, nothing, Soren. Er, I should go now."

Soren stepped forward and grabbed Boyd's collar. He knew that he was much weaker than Boyd, but also knew that Boyd wasn't the kind of person who would attack him for no reason. The fighter, though a little brutish, was an honorable man.

"Tell me." Soren's eyes narrowed.

Boyd shivered, and immediately broke. "Ok, ok. Shinon wanted to make a bet that I could break into your tent, and he'd give me sixty coins if I pulled it off. Now, I lost, so when I get back I have to polish his bow, clean his tent, and do that kind of stuff. He's going to kill me if I'm gone for too long, so I'll see ya."

Soren blinked, and shook his head. "I really have to speak to Shinon personally some time, that pompous wretch." He sighed and retreated back into his shelter.

--

Ike, Titania, and Oscar were sitting around, bored as ever. Along with Soren, they were the commanding officers of the now famous Greil Mercenaries. This Mercenary troupe was now responsible for the survival of two of the nations of Tellius: Crimea and Gallia. Had it not been for Ike's leadership and Soren's tactics in the Mad King's War, Crimea would be a province of Daein. Had it not been for Soren's strategies, the current royalty of Gallia would have been replaced by a violent usurper who would completely support the slaughter of beorc in order to avenge the past enslavement and torture of laguz by beorc.

Titania yawned as she turned to Ike, the primary leader of the Mercenaries. "So, Ike, what now? We've made certain that the supply convoy made it safely, just as our employer wished. We've got our money, but we're quite a ways away from the fort. Mia, Rhys, and Gatrie are back there, but if we were to try to reunite with them, we might end up engaging some random bandit group who would love to steal from groups like us."

Ike shook his head. "We've been though so much, Titania. Don't you remember the hordes of bandits we've beaten up ever since my father first founded this Mercenary group? We'll be fine! What could bandits do compared to Daein or Begnion soldiers?"

Oscar blinked. "Erm, Ike, you sound as though you're unmoved by them. Remember, these guys burn villages as a hobby."

"But don't soldiers do the same in total warfare? Besides, at worst these bandits have had some experience trashing cities and killing off those who'd resist, but soldiers have been through wars and tend to use brilliant strategies. Few bandits are truly bright people, if they were they'd be the people in charge. We've had easy times taking out bandits, so I'm hardly scared of them."

"Now, now, Ike. Do not get cocky. You know what happens to warriors who are too confident in their own abilities." Titania pointed out, her eyes beginning to show concern for the younger warrior.

Ike sighed. If Titania and Oscar were both trying to get him to be more serious, Soren would probably magnify their worries tenfold.

--

He spent his life for her.

Geoffrey polished his brave lance as he stood on the battlements of Castle Delbray. Here he was, in armor and fully mobilized with a retinue of soldiers at his command. If only he could sit down and have a cup of tea with his sister, or stroll in the garden beside _her_, but her majesty insisted that he post himself close to the border, for strange things were happening in Daein.

The Daein army had mobilized at its border, as though they intended to strike past The Great Bridge. Elincia, extremely worried about this possibility, sent Geoffrey to Delbray to watch over the situation. Of course, the Lady Lucia, Geoffrey's elder sister, requested that she'd be allowed to tag along with him.

Brother and sister stood vigilant on the walls of Delbray, and it was a good thing they were prepared. Thirty squadrons of Pegasus Knights flew over the mountains towards them, dropping off an equal amount of armored knights. Crimea's finest General and his sister were in for another fight, one just after Lucia's exhausting ordeal in Gallia.

Raising her blade, Lucia smirked. "These Begnion fools think they can take this castle with both of us here. Come, brother, let's make them flee back to Telgam with the lesson that they should never strike the nation of Crimea!"

--

In the capitals Sienne and Nevassa, storm clouds began to brew as radical changes began to take their toll... Because of these changes the land of Tellius would be cursed with a war that would change everything. Many old veterans would be forced out of hiding, forced to fight for some meaningless banner, and many lives would die in vain. These were the beginnings of the second global war on Tellius, the War of the Confederacy.


	2. Exodus

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Chapter 2: Exodus

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_Death... Have I been cursed with seeing it everywhere I go? No, I cannot allow myself to believe that. Daein's history may have been bloody, but it shall not be any longer... At least, it shall not be after this new war..._

General Tauroneo sighed as he and a small group of companions stood outside of Daein's royal palace. In a few moments, Zihark appeared, his lavender hair flying freely as he ran towards the old General. "General Tauroneo, we've gathered about four thousand loyalists. The bulk of our army has already left the capital gates... Unfortunately, there aren't enough of us inside the gate to provide you armored units with support. As I'm sure you know, we'll need to move in small groups, otherwise we'd be finished."

"I see... But Zihark, you should rejoin Colonel Jill. I will be fine as I make it to the west gate." Tauroneo nodded.

Zihark whistled, and as a signal a wyvern landed next to him. "Zihark, you called?" Its woman rider asked, shifting her helmet to keep her long red hair from getting caught.

"Colonel Jill... Based on what Captain Zihark has told me, it is too dangerous for you here."

"But General, the enemy outnumbers you seven to one. You and your battalion might be overrun before you'd have a chance to regroup with our main army." Jill spoke, her eyes and voice full of worry.

Tauroneo smirked. "Do you doubt a Steadfast Rider, even though I was one? I shall make it out of here with a good number of squads, at least, but you should regroup the troops. In case I take too long, they'll need a capable leader. You, Jill, are the one. Zihark, help keep her safe, will you?"

Jill and Zihark nodded. "Be careful, General. Remember that Daein will need your strength till the end." Jill added, staring intently at Tauroneo with her worried expression.

Tauroneo chuckled. "You worry too much, girl. Now go, and go quickly!" Jill immediately reared her wyvern, and as Zihark leapt on her saddle the pair fled into the sky.

Tauroneo turned to the two hundred or so armored knights with him. "You heard her. The enemy outnumbers us greatly, but we will show them the power of the true Daein loyalists!" He raised his spear, the legendary Wishblade, and the warriors of Daein cheered with him. (1.)

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For years, Castle Delbray has remained one of Crimea's chief strongholds. Even when the rest of Crimea collapsed, the castle remained in Crimean hands even when Daein's overwhelming army laid siege to it.

This time was no different. As about four hundred Begnion pegasus riders appeared over the mountains from the direction of Begnion's Telgam Fort, General Geoffrey and the Lady Lucia immediately prepared themselves for the inevitable engagement. Thanks to Bastian, Lucia learned how to use magic to enhance the effectiveness of her blades, but thanks to Soren she learned how to utilize Wind Edges most effectively. She thought of that black-haired mage lately, and wondered if those stern features of his would soften a little without her around. After all, thanks to her help, Soren was able to lighten up around the people who truly cared about him.

But she couldn't let him distract her... After all, as Soren would put it: one must always be focused in battle, otherwise one would invite defeat.

But, then again, she really wished he was here. Pegasus knights were a pain because after great injuries those steeds could still fly some distance away to allow themselves and their riders to heal and recover. In the meantime more enemy troops would hound the defenders and the pegasi and their riders would return with greater vigor. If Soren happened to be here, however, his Tornado could easily wipe out pegasi and thus take them down for good. Of course, Thoron would come quite in handy against those armored warriors, but it was nothing an armorslayer couldn't handle. (2.)

And everyone knew that Bastian couldn't handle two minutes against Soren.

The Begnion troops continued to close in on their position, and Lucia motioned to Geoffrey to get ready.

An enemy armored unit charged forward, spear outstretched. A streak of blue flew past him, and, suddenly, he collapsed on the ground, a huge gash on his chest. Lucia smirked, these fools were much easier than she'd anticipated.

A pegasus knight closed in on her from the sky, hearing the neigh of the winged steed, Lucia smiled again, and, with a backflip, unleashed an upwards slash that split the steed and rider in half, killing both instantly.

Geoffrey winced. Had his sister become a heartless killer?

Lucia turned to Geoffrey, and noted his concern. Her eyes softened, and she explained her sentiments. "I cannot have mercy on people who don't understand it. They'd strike our peaceful nation so viciously, without warning, without any sign that they had hostility towards us. Because of that, it is my duty as a Crimean warrior to protect Crimea no matter the cost, even if that means killing many of these Begnion soldiers."

Ah, the men and women of Crimea, full of that innocence, unlike the martial Daeins or the regal Begnionians. These warriors fight not for the glory that the Daeins see, nor do they fight for the reputations their Begnionian counterparts hold so dear, no, they fight for one thing and one thing alone: honor, the hope that war will end, and no matter how many times Kieran waves his axe and yells aloud, he, unlike the men of Daein, does not enjoy the heat of battle. It's only his duty, not his hobby.

Swinging his lance, Geoffrey yelled: "Warriors of Begnion, my sister and I give you this last warning: evacuate this area or surrender immediately, otherwise we shall destroy your entire force."

The lead pegasus knight, a woman with swampy green hair and matching eyes, laughed wildly. "Idiot! And they call you Crimea's most tenacious hero! Considering how you're trying to shy away from battle, I doubt you match your reputation, General Geoffrey. Today, the Confederacy shall tear you Crimean slaves apart, unless _you_ surrender."

Lucia gasped. She remembered that, during the Gallian Civil War, General Saigo, the Begnion warrior whose army was allied with the rebels, had said the same thing, something about a Begnion Confederacy... This did not bode well indeed, for the Apostle was the Empress of Begnion. Had something happened to Sanaki during this time?

"Then it seems you will need convincing. Knights of Crimea, attack!" Geoffrey yelled, raising his spear up high. The white-armor of the Crimean warriors clanked eagerly as they surged forward towards their Begnion foes.

Wind spells screeched through the air, and billows of flame streaked through the sky as the mages of Crimea began a magical barrage of the advancing Pegasus and Armored Begnion divisions. Wave upon wave of arrows flew from many a Crimean bow as these archers tried to pick off the pegasi. Quite a few brave Begnionian women fell from the sky, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds. Their pegasi collapsed on the ground, their reddish blood staining the soil. But that hardly made their foes flinch, and the enemy continued to advance.

Lucia raised her armorslayer, a blade designed for splitting the armor of knights, and closed in on the vast wave of Begnion armored troops. With ease, she hacked her way through this living wall, killing every warrior who made contact with her blade. Four squads worth of men fell before her, slain so quickly that they couldn't even gasp their last words.

With Dame Astrid and Sir Kieran by his side, Geoffrey charged forward, impaling quite a few foes with his lance. Kieran crushed and split a variety of Begnion skulls with his axe, while Astrid twirled her bow and pinned many a pegasus rider between the eyes with her precise shots. The graceful plummets of the pegasi were rather ironic, considering the amount of blood both steed and rider would shed as they fell.

Seeing their champions tear through the enemy ranks, the Knights of Crimea cheered and charged to join them. Axe, lance, sword, bow, these weapons hacked, skewered, slashed, and pierced their way through their foes. Wave upon wave of Begnion soldiers collapsed, slain by these so called "slaves." Finally, the green haired pegasus rider, seeing her squadron and the rest of her subordinates dropping like flies, ordered a retreat, and Crimea was victorious on this day...

But the luck of the heroes of Crimea was not shared by their counterparts in Daein and Begnion...

------------

Two hundred knights had to hack their way past a thousand and a half knights. Tauroneo led them through the chaos, but not all of them would make it safely.

Clanking forward, Wishblade in hand, the General found himself mobbed by hundreds of axe-wielding men wearing armor as thick as his. Beside him, he heard the thud of a fallen comrade, and the screams of those who were unfortunate enough to feel the searing pain of the insertion of the cold metal of a blade into one's body.

He'd skewer a man, yank the spear out, and watch another comrade fall. Their numbers were dwindling fast, but Tauroneo knew that, as long as they continued pushing forward, those tough enough to survive would make it... It was too late to turn back now, now, they were cornered rats, and they had no choice but to chomp and claw their way to freedom.

Tears came to his eyes as he heard the howls of his men. Tauroneo was not Gawain, he did not have that endless stamina. Even in the prime of his youth, he'd slay twenty men by the time Gawain killed a hundred. Today, he'd failed his men... If only he was more skilled and stronger, then not as many would have to die.

He bit his lip and let the blood flow as he rammed Tellius's legendary spear into these rebel scum. They killed Pelleas, Prince of Daein... They were the loyal followers of that greedy dastard, Izuka, and they were victorious today.

But just as his aging muscles began to tire, just as his spear and armor began to feel heavy, he saw streaks of sunlight, and heard the scream of a wyvern. A Tomahawk flew past him and hacked off the head of a pursuing calvary rider, and a stream of red appeared before him. "Jill..." He gasped as he staggered forward into the light.

Amazingly, it seemed that the old man was merely being a bit senile and delirious. Three fourths of the men who marched with him survived. A good 150 Daein knights would live to continue fighting in the shadows for their country... Jill, Zihark, and General Tauroneo left Nevassa that day. Though they mourned those who died, the fact that so many survived gave them hope, and for these champions of a fallen banner, hope was one thing they needed most.

-----------

Tears rolled down Sanaki's face.

The door of the temple pounded, and she could hear the angry roars of the people beyond it. Sephiran and General Levail stood beside her. The warrior's spear and the calm minister's tome fixed by their sides.

Sigrun and Tanith turned to the Prime Minister. "Milord, we shall gather the Holy Guards and attempt to escape from the upper floors... It seems that the Begnion Imperial Guardsmen and Sir Levail will be the only ones left to ensure your safety, Prime Minister." Sigrun spoke, her voice full of hesitation.

"This is what happens when we allow the work of madmen to go unopposed. Lekain and his men are about to break the gate. Hurry, Dame Sigrun! Only you and Tanith will stand in their way if you escape. We will do what we can to hold them off, but the responsibility of protecting the Apostle goes to you."

Sigrun had Apostle Sanaki mount her pegasus behind her as Tanith and the other Holy Guards huddled close to their lady and their commander. They burst from the window of the third floor and fled Mainal Temple as fast as they could.

But Lekain was no fool. A wave of arrows fell from the sky, piercing their squadron as the Begnion Confederate snipers tried to hunt down the Holy Guard. But just as an arrow lodged itself into Sigrun's shoulder, several Halberdiers appeared, slashing their way through the snipers. And, marching behind those Halberdiers was Begnion's legendary General: General Zelgius!

"This is General Zelgius of the Begnion Imperial Central Army. Rebel leader, you are ordered to stand down immediately, otherwise you and your men will be hunted down and killed." His booming voice commanded on the battlefield. A blonde-haired, rather chubby man appeared from the front gates of the Temple, and laughed aloud. "I doubt your 'army' will hold for long, Zelgius. We outnumber you three to one, and many of the soldiers with me are just as well trained as yours."

Zelgius sighed, and, lifting his head towards the clouds, he yelled: "Dame Sigrun, protect our lady and flee this area. I will rejoin you when I can. The enemy is numerous and unrelenting, but as the Commander of the Holy Guards, I'm sure you could repel them. May Ashera be with you."

Sigrun nodded. "And with you as well, Sir Zelgius." She reared her pegasus and flew as fast as she could towards the west, with Tanith and her fellow riders following as swiftly as they could.

Only minutes after they fled the capital, wyvern knights and renegade pegasus riders engaged them. Swinging her lance, Tanith dove forward, decapitating several mounts and forcing their riders to plummet to the ground. Sanaki grabbed tightly onto Sigrun's armor, and the knight could feel her soverign's tears flowing down her back. "Sigrun... Why have I failed as a ruler?..." Sanaki groaned in between sobs.

Sigrun spoke softly. "Milady, 'tis the fate of a ruler to have the people turn against you at times. They've been misled by Lekain and his false words. His ambition will consume him, but before that happens he will sent countless foes to slay us all. When Zelgius returns to our sides, we will have to formulate a plan to save the Empire. Do not despair, if anything Zelgius should be more than well when we meet again."

Sanaki nodded, and buried her head into her retainer's back... This was only the beginning of harsh times for all of them.

Finally, Tanith and her troops were able to drive away their pursuers, and this band of women descended near a castle close to the Province of Tanas.

In the distance, they spotted several calvary riders. Raising their lances, Tanith and Sigrun prepared for the worst, but these were actually Zelgius's advance guard. Zelgius, knowing that he couldn't possibly defeat Lekain in the madman's capital, was forced to abandon Sephiran and Levail, knowing that they were almost certainly slain by Confederate troops. Zelgius personally arrived, and the four decided to take the nearby castle and rest. With about 1800 troops having been rescued or recruited by their force, the Imperial Army would be quite large enough to win a victory.

500 soldiers were stationed in the fortress, commanded by Numida of the Senate. Numida was an old ally of Lekain's, thus his men were all Confederate troops, ready to skewer what was left of the Imperial Army.

But Numida did not know that there was an enemy sympathizer in his own ranks.

Bartholemu was once a member of the Senate. However, he was corrupt, and misspent his funds, forcing Prime Minister Sephiran to demote him and banish him from office. Now, he was a simple Bishop, a light magic and stave wielder who would be treated like a common army healer and mage. Bartholemu had long regretted his actions, but because Sephiran did not trust him, he would never be able to gain an appointment.

But now this crisis was happening, and with four-tenths of the castle guard under his command (for they made up his personal guard), Bartholemu decided that it was time to show his goodwill. He waited for the Imperial Army to enter and engage Numida, and just when Numida began to call for help, Bartholemu made his strike.

Zelgius, Sigrun, Tanith, and Sanaki were quite shocked to see a Confederate officer assist them in the capturing of this citadel, but they could hardly complain. Numida, realizing that he'd been betrayed, fled the scene immediately with a Rewarp staff, and Bartholemu prostrated himself before Sanaki.

Sigrun recognized him immediately. "Minister Bartholemu, formerly of the Senate, you were charged with Corruption and Monetary Fraud, and were found guilty of your crimes. Because of this, you've been demoted and excommunicated, yet here you kneel before Her Majesty. Explain yourself."

"I've heard the saying that 'every sinner has a future,' and it's occurred to me that my former actions should not stain my memory forever. I've hardly done anything to atone for my deeds, but now it seems that the Empire is in quite a sorry state. I am a minister of the Begnion Empire, and thus it is my duty to stand by the Apostle in these dark times. Death may be my fate for joining you, but I hardly fear it now. Please, let me have some honor, let me help you. I have soldiers here who can reinforce your troops, and since we are all servants of the Empire, it is our duty to protect our Soverign. Apostle Sanaki, will you accept your servant's assistance?" Bartholemu bowed.

Sanaki grabbed him by the hand and pulled him up. "You're a convict, but that doesn't mean that you aren't a good man. I need all the help I can get, and if you're willing to stand by me till the end, then I will make certain that you will be pardoned. I accept your assistance."

With Bartholemu by their sides, the Imperial Army rested and was one the move yet again. Sanaki hoped to enter Gallia soon, as she was friendly with King Caineghis thanks to their mutual assistance during the Mad King's War.

------------

And, thus, the heroes of Tellius underwent their respective trials. Some were forced to flee their homes, while others were forced to protect them till the end. The tides of war began to rise ever higher, its boiling waters simmering with greater and greater rage.

And, like the previous wars, young Ike would once again be forced to take on great tasks... As his men safely returned to their Fort, they would have little idea of the trial that was yet to come...

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1. I have a feeling that some of my readers just came in from Radiant Dawn. If that is so, let me inform you that this is a sequel to Path of Radiance with some tie-ins to Radiant Dawn via similar characters and few similar plot points (such as an evil Senate.) However, this is an alternate timeline so there are major differences between this fic and Radiant Dawn. Furthermore, Wishblade, being Bryce's weapon, is more likely to be in General Tauroneo's hands than General Levail, as Tauroneo was much more likely to be near Bryce when that General fell, and thus would be likely to pick the spear from his dead hands. Bryce and Tauroneo are old friends and if, as many fantasy fics say, the weapon chooses the user, the Wishblade is more likely to choose Tauroneo than some random Begnion general.

2. This fic is the sequel to Gallian Nights. Carrying on from that fic, magical effectiveness is based on physics. Wind fans flames and makes them stronger. Wind can disperse electric sparks. Fire and Thunder have much greater intensities than Light. And, based on spiritual beliefs, Light, with its holy qualities, can defeat Dark, which has a connotation of being evil. Metal conducts electricity, so Thunder magic can shock armored knights and other armor-bearing beorc. Fire sears flesh, so it is quite effective against laguz (and, technically, against lightly armored units like archers.) Wind makes it difficult for winged units to fly, as it knocks them out of the sky. Shadows can blot out flames and electric sparks, so Dark beats Thunder and Fire. Wind is neutral to Light and Dark because there is no relation between them. Thunder is strong against Fire because, well, it just is, apparently.

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Author's note: You can either blame The Stuttering Stallion, or Chrono Trigger for the lackluster update here. I have no intention of going into hiatus, however, I've realized that I've lost the passion for Fire Emblem... My passion lies in Dynasty Warriors, it seems, especially in The Stuttering Stallion. As of now, that fic is my pride and joy. That, and Chrono Trigger is way too fun, making me too easily distracted to update, sapping my free time. Forgive me if this chapter seems lackluster...


	3. Confederacy

I claimed that I discontinued this fic entirely, didn't I?

Well, that claim was true, for a while. However, Pebblekit, 73ayay, and other authors have inspired me to continue. Granted, this fic won't be as great as before due to a lack of ideas, but I feel that no fic should be simply abandoned by me... Thus, I give you a revamped Chapter 3. Please stay tuned for Chapter 4...

Chapter 3: Confederacy

Nine people stood in a circle in what was once the Empress's throne room. Five of them: Lekain, Izuka, Valtome, Numida, Hetzel, these five all shared a contented expression as they stood together. Four others: Sergei, Sophia, Linus, and Jarod stood at attention in this circular pattern. They shared the stern look of a soldier.

Two people were slouched over, huddling the ground in the center of this circle. Both were gritting their teeth in rage.

"Sephiran, I commend you for holding out so long. And you too, Levail, you've performed the very best a warrior can do. With less than thirty men you held off my army of four thousand for two days. You both killed a good deal of my finest veteran soldiers. It is fitting that one of you should be the Prime Minister of the fallen Begnion Empire, and the other should be Zelgius's squire and second in command. And now, I ask you again: are you willing to join the Confederacy? After all, Zelgius and the girl have left you behind." Lekain spoke, his sneer chilling to even Hetzel's eyes.

Sephiran stared back at Lekain with cold eyes. "Under my orders Zelgius was to protect Empress Sanaki till the bitter end, no matter what happened to me. That was my request to him, and he agreed to follow it word for word. He did not abandon me; he only did his duty. Thus, there is no reason for me to ever wish to join you and your ragtag band of fools."

Levail nodded. "As a knight of the Begnion Empire, I am to stand by my banner no matter the cost. You may have seized the capital, and destroyed the vast majority of our army, but I am still loyal to the Empress and to the Prime Minister, and as long as one of them lives I shall not serve under any other banner!"

At that moment Valtome let out a laugh. "No wonder we were victorious. Fools like you are unworthy of standing before the might of the Confederacy."

"Had the Empire seen though your ploy sooner, you'd be dead." Sephiran snapped.

Valtome immediately shut up. Yes, during the Gallian Civil War, he personally provided the rebels with Begnion regulars and even the services of one of its top generals: Saigo. Unfortunately, Saigo and every legion sent by Valtome to assist the rebels was destroyed, and Valtome himself joined the rebel's defense of their capital against Gallian royal, Crimean, and Phoenician forces. Unfortunately for him, he was utterly defeated. Soren had ordered their troops not to kill him, for Valtome's fate should be determined by Empress Sanaki, not by the Master Strategist of the Gallian Royal Army.

And General Sigrun had thrown Valtome in prison, only to have Senators Lekain and Numida release him shortly after they took control of over seventy percent of the Begnion Imperial Army and most of Begnion's territories.

That had been the rise of the Begnion Confederacy. Originally a joke among Numida and Lekain, the Confederacy was a common topic of Lekain's when he wanted to vent about the incorrect policies of Empress Sanaki. For example, granting the Laguz Emancipation Army a reprieve, and giving it her undying support was an extremely bad idea. Because of this bad idea many wealthy senators and noblemen, like Lekain and Numida, were in danger of attacks by these sub-human pirates.

Long ago, Lekain joked that they should have the Senators who dissented with Sanaki's decisions ally with the various dukes who despised the girl Empress and create a 'Confederacy,' a nation where each of these lords could have self-rule over their own territories. It would basically be an alliance of Kings, under one unified banner. Only then could everyone get along somehow, and no one would have to complain about the bad ideas of an Emperor or Empress... Only then could Begnion walk a better path than the one it was choosing now.

But this joke soon became reality when Lekain could no longer stand Sanaki's actions. After making a secret agreement with both King Naesala of Kilvas and Prime Minister Izuka of Daein, Lekain began to call upon the various dissenting lords, noblemen, and dukes.

To be honest, he expected to have only a minority support him, and, thus, he'd have to fight his way to reform Begnion. But, to his utter surprise, the vast majority of these men immediately accepted his terms and joined his cause. They each exchanged their old Begnion Imperial flags to the banners of the Begnion Confederacy, and pledged themselves to this new purpose.

And like all leaders, Lekain was quickly blinded by this sudden gain in power. Now these various allies of his turned to him, the founder of the Confederacy, to guide them. Lekain quickly rescued Valtome, for that old Senator would clearly join him. Heck, Valtome had supported Lekain even before the Confederacy became official, but now that it was so powerful he was certain to continue helping Lekain in his newfound ambitions.

Lekain was certain that the rest of the lesser nations and armies arrayed against him would surrender merrily soon enough. After Izuka, a longtime ally of Lekain's, killed Prince Pelleas of Daein, Izuka became King of the Daein Province of the Begnion Confederacy. This ensured that he'd keep his own sovereignty as "Daein," except that, in a way, Daein was involved in a permanent alliance with the rest of Begnion.

And now their dreams had come true. In Hetzel's eyes, Begnion could finally be restored to its former glory. With Daein, the subordinate state that for many years defied the Empire's might, currently considered a part of Begnion, there was no need to fear any significant retaliation. Crimea, a nation that prided itself in research and peace, Gallia, a nation of sub humans who would rather frolic in their vast forest, and Phoenicis, a nation that enjoyed raiding Begnion ships but had begun to follow the path of its Gallian ally, would hardly prove much of a threat if Daein and its own great power was added to Begnion's. Now the only potential ally to recruit would be Kilvas, and with the help of the ravens nothing could stand in Begnion's way.

But Hetzel and Lekain had differing views on the matter. Lekain felt that, in order to ensure that Begnion would truly become what it once was, all the nations had to be united under its banner. It was folly to assume that longtime traitors would ever accept the rising power of the nation they abandoned.

They'd try to strike the great Begnion, try to prove to themselves that their choice of independence was correct, with the excuse of "self-defense in advance," or "to protect us all from this growing tyrant." Thus, it was imperative to destroy these traitors and conquer them first.

That way, no one would be able to threaten this great Confederacy, this union of powerful states that would never collapse, for under one ruler an Empire can fall apart from rebellion, but under a Confederacy there are many rulers standing side by side, and to split apart would be suicide, for the precious alliance would crumble and the infighting that would result would, at the very least, destroy many nations and force one man to rebuild everything, and the cycle of chaos and destruction would continue.

Thus, Conquest was the key to breaking that cycle... The key to saving Tellius.

And the longtime allies of Crimea, Gallia, and Phoenicis would see that key heading for their throats...

* * *

"Your majesty, Begnion shock troops have assaulted Fort Susa. They are crying for reinforcements." The laguz scout bowed low.

"When our laguz brothers cry for help, the prey must be strong. Uncle, let me kill them all!" Skimir growled.

The old lion sighed. He turned his head to scan the whole throne room with his eyes. Why was it that this mighty Gallia had to go through such a devastating Civil War? Though they tried to keep casualties at a minimum, so many young laguz died that it would be excruciating to go to war again. Their army was crippled; there would be few veterans or new recruits available. Gallia was crippled, and it would take generations for those wounds to heal. Another war would surely destroy the nation...

But those damn hu-, no, beorc were asking for war again. These Begnion scum wanted to strike Gallia once more. To let Gallia fall into their hands was ridiculous. No, the Gallian Army would charge forward once again. Thanks to their trusted ally Crimea to the north, there was little need to keep large numbers of troops in the northern border. So, gathering soldiers from the southern districts, Caineghis ordered a counterattack. Begnion would be driven out of Gallia, or Gallia would cease to exist as a nation. Those could be the only fates for both parties now.

* * *

Confederate troops overwhelmed Susa Fort. The kitties, both slim and fat, ran for their dear lives when they saw the might of the Begnion army. Killer and Laguz lances were definitely weapons that no laguz wanted to face. Warriors all over Tellius feared the Killer weapons, for they were somehow designed to mortally wound opponents much more often than typical Silver or Steel lances. Laguz weapons were specially designed to hunt laguz, and thus these sticks of steel were quite effective against the Gallian army.

Skimir, Ranulf, and bands of laguz brothers tried to avenge their defeat, heading for the Begnion troops. Little did they know that those powerful weapons, along with things like tomahawks and short spears were heading for them. Little did they know that pegasus knights with powerful flame lances would strike them from the air, and that their sonic swords could knock their hawk friends out cold. But what the Gallians could never imagine was the fact that the ravens would betray them all, again.

Kilvas had long performed deeds for other nations in the name of getting rich. This war was no exception. The Confederacy offered large sums of gold to have Kilvas join it, and with Kilvas as the sole laguz state of the Confederacy, another nation decided to join as well: Goldoa.

Deghinsea's reasoning was this: The Crimean, Gallian, Phoenician alliance had a difficult time trouncing the Gallian rebels, who were assisted by Begnion. To have Daein and Kilvas by Begnion's side would make it impossible for Gallia and her allies to claim victory. Goldoa had to choose the Begnion Confederacy, in order to have at least two laguz nations as part of the Confederacy. That way, when Begnion finally triumphed over Gallia, it could not damn all laguz. Instead, it would be forced to recognize the difference between "good" and "bad" laguz, though of course the entire beast tribe and the hawks might have to suffer in order for the ravens, dragons, and any other form of yet-to-be-seen laguz not affiliated with Gallia to survive.

But the dragons declared that they would only be willing to commit troops to destroy Crimea, but they would not assist in the attacks on Gallia and Phoenicis. Since Crimea had General Ike, who clearly could not be defeated by the ravens or Begnion's elite troops alone, Lekain agreed to use the might of the Dragons to kill Ike and his mighty companions, but not to kill those sub-humans.

_Thus, with the odds stacked against them, Gallia's army was doomed to fail..._

* * *

Though the old reviews for my message of "retirement," if you will, still exist, I would like to hear your thoughts via PM. Thanks for your support!


	4. Fear

Chapter 4: Fear

Flames swept through the towering forests of east Gallia as Begnion's army marched through this former haven.

As the beast laguz fled from the scorching heat, Caineghis sighed as he wondered how his nation could turn out like this...

How long had it been now? 500 years? One thousand? In laguz terms victory was not so long ago, a mere eight or nine generations it seemed.

Yet no matter how many generations were able to avoid the flood, eventually it came crashing once more. Begnion had overcome the great Fort Susa, and was heading for Capital Zarzi. Thousands of Gallia's finest were trying to stop them, but Ranulf and Skimir's claws could not rake against enough armors to ensure victory... There were too many morsels to chew on; too many well-armed prey. Even without warriors like Zelgius or Levail, Begnion could still prevail...

* * *

The winds howled as another muscular ruffian was thrown into the depths of the forest.

"See, Soren? There wasn't any point in getting worried. We were able to take down these fools easily enough, right?" Ike laughed as the scattered bandit survivors fled for their lives.

The black-haired mage sighed as he brushed his Tornado tome clean. "Despite the fact that we won today, you should not let the joy of victory distract you from the truth. We cannot afford to let bandits such as these waste our time."

"Geez, Soren, lighten up a little." Boyd sighed. "We kicked their arses, isn't that enough?"

"For a few moments, that might be enough, but when we consider what we must go through, then 'kicking their arses,' as you have so eloquently put it, means little. The enemy will not always be a bunch of reckless fools. Yes, we may come across incompetent commanders who were given their rank because of wealth or class, but Begnion has quite a few accomplished veteran officers who could wipe us all out if they tried. You should be far more serious, Boyd. That carefree attitude of yours will lead to your death." Soren replied matter-of-factly.

Shinon hissed. "Whelp. Wordy little rat. You use those big words all the time, to make it look like you're some bigshot scholar, when in reality you're nothing but a smelly son of a bitch. Boyd's an idiot, yeah, but you're just a little bookworm who loves to throw dirt, that's all."

Soren raised an eyebrow. "To question one's superior is a good thing to do, Shinon. It allows Commanders to think about the purpose of their actions, and shows that their troops aren't mindless zombies. Yet, to question every word that comes out of a superior's mouth is counter-productive; it only leads to uncertainty, indecisiveness, inefficiency, and, as you can imagine, death. You do far too much of the latter and thus you negate whatever benefits you brought by upholding the former, and for that I find you much too irritating to be a responsible veteran."

Shinon scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, complain all you want. You only help tick people off in the end, but you knew that, didn't you?" He sneered. "You just enjoy being such a jackass because we all trust you when it's said and done. I think we should start changing things a bit..."

Soren was about to open his mouth once again, when Titania decided to intervene.

"This is not the time for us to act like children, Shinon and Soren. We must continue our united efforts, or we will all perish. I should hope that Commander Greil did not put his faith in two immature fools."

Soren bowed. "Forgive me, General Titania."

Shinon scoffed. "Fine, fine. We'll let this whelp get us all killed." A series of harsh glances from the others, however, convinced him to stay silent.

* * *

"What treachery is this? Hath the heavens abandoned sweet Crimea?" Bastian gasped as he stood on the battlements of Delbray. Before him, a horrendous sight began to overtake the land as far as his eyes could see...

A sea of red marched across the plains. They moved forward with stoic expressions as their commander yelled from behind: "Begnion will triumph! You Crimean dogs have been unleashed for far too long! Now it is time to impound your pathetic hides and force you to repent for your sins!"

Lucia scoffed. "They growl and howl, but in the end these wolves are easily tamed."

Geoffrey gulped. His sister must have been the brave one of the family, he decided, for today he was quite intimidated by his foe's sheer numbers. Even when Daein was his opponent, the size of their army wasn't even a third of what he was facing now.

Lucia raised her armorslayer, and, turning to Geoffrey, she spoke. "Brother, bring a heavy spear. Today, we'll teach these armored foes that there are weaknesses to even the toughest and thickest of walls."

As brother and sister rushed out of the castle, Kieran urged his horse to trot up to the castle's entrance, then, turning behind him, he yelled: "Archers, snipers, get into formation behind each parapet and be always prepared to fire at will. The enemy is numerous, and we are few, so we'll have to be most efficient in our strikes. Lucia and Bastian will strike the enemy beyond the safety of those walls, but even without them I expect you troops to exercise good judgment. Crush any Begnion warrior who dares to enter your range for Crimea!"

And with that, he quickly rode off with a hammer to join Geoffrey and the rest of their calvary battalions.

With Astrid and Kieran by their sides, Geoffrey, Lucia, and Bastian knew that these Begnion troops, though quite well trained, would not be so crushing an enemy, as long as they weren't carrying weapons designed for calvary... Each of them, save Bastian, could retreat swiftly if need be, and since Delbray province was covered by a vast plain and grassland, their calvary would not get hindered by the terrain. But even Bastian was safe on the Astrid's saddle, for that knight was experienced enough to know how to keep her passenger safe without risk to herself. (1.)

And thus both armies arranged themselves. Crimea's finest took their positions in front of their castle, on the elevated terrain, fully prepared to strike their lower foes. At the same time, Begnion's armored divisions prepared themselves to march forward like a sea, unrelenting even when they bashed iron and steel against their foes... (2.)

With each rider carrying a bow or some sort of throwing weapon, Geoffrey smirked. This battle would not be so difficult, as long as the enemy stayed on the lowlands...

"Make them pay for their sins!" The Begnion commander roared as his troops ran quickly to the side. In this maneuver, it looked like they were trying to outflank the Crimean army, striking with artillery and archer divisions from the front while hitting them hard with infantry and whatever calvary they had from the side. Unfortunately for them, the Crimean army was not a band of amateurs.

"Gah!" A Begnion halberdier yelled as an arrow lodged itself in his forehead. The entire Begnion left wing of attacking troops was met by a swarm of arrows. Crimea's mounted archers streaked back and forth, and each twang of their bows led to another Begnion soldier receiving a headshot. Before their counterparts could retalitate, however, the Crmean troops darted out of range.

Soon enough, squads of horses fled the field. Their riders, unfortunately, were merely corpses clinging on to those poor animal's bodies.

More and more Begnion dead littered the grass, and yet the Begnion commander insisted on continuing the siege. "They are a strong bunch, these foes, but we are the warriors of Begnion! We are far more powerful than they can ever hope to be! The Confederacy shall triumph over these wise foes. And we should be happy that these Crimeans are not idiots. After all, hunting stupid prey is no fun." With that said, the Begnion warriors increased the ferocity and the tenacity of their attacks, to Geoffrey's chagrin.

"They may have taken casualties, but so have we. Even if we lose one for every four of theirs, we'll still be overrun by them in the end. Geoffrey, we should fall back and assume a more defensive position... Get some of the archers inside the castle to join us on the field as fire support, or something along those lines... We have too few troops on the field as it is." Lucia shook his arm frantically.

"Where are our reinforcements?" Geoffrey moaned. "We won't be able to hold out much longer without any..."

"Sweet Delbray has been abandoned! Oh how misfortune are we, to be unable to flee, from this field of woe, oh, if only it would snow." Bastian began to prance about, trying to make rhymes from whatever first entered his mind.

"And how would snow help us now, may I ask?" Lucia crossed her arms.

"There is no time to bicker, milady. As honorable knights of Crimea we must find a way to defeat our foes and stay alive..." Kieran spoke.

"If only we had more mages... Magic could easily blast the thick armor our foes have..." Astrid mumbled. "Arrows simply do not suffice."

"Mages..." Lucia mumbled, staring at the prancing Bastian. "If only Soren were here..."

* * *

"Ike!" Mist ran into the barracks where Ike, Boyd, and the other 'fighters' of the Greil Mercenaries typically trained.

"What is it?" Ike asked as he held Ettard an inch above Boyd's head.

"A messenger from Capital Melior has arrived! Elincia needs our help."

"Really? Mist, go tell Titania and Soren the news. Once they know, then we can make payment plans and move out."

"Definitely." And with that the girl sprinted off... With Boyd staring at her the entire time.

* * *

Ike, Titania, Soren, and Oscar, the four commanding officers of the Greil Mercenaries, sat within the Fort's war room. Of course, this meant that on the circular wooden table in the center of the room, a map of Tellius sat, along with several small, painted wooden flags that represented the armies of the many nations of Tellius, with each nation painted in a specific color. This allowed Soren and the others to demonstrate what was going on in the outside world when it came to conquests and battles.

Based on the messenger's report, Delbray was under attack by Begnion troops, and apparently Daein seemed to have let Begnion march through their borders. Since Daein had been badly wounded as a nation since the Mad King's War, it did not seem so unlikely that King Pelleas would give Begnion the right to march through his territory, as long as Begnion didn't cause much trouble or take that many resources...

However, the report also spoke of a 'Confederacy' of sorts, and mentioned seeing several enemy snipers using Daein stances as they fired and utilizing the tactics of that snowy region to inch forward towards the Crimean lines.

"Why would Daein be helping Begnion in this war? Pelleas wouldn't let Daein mercenaries work by themselves because if they were hired by a faction that wished to destroy Daein, Pelleas would be finished... But these Daein-trained snipers are fighting for Begnion! Something's not right. Ike, we should assist Queen Elincia in lifting the siege of Delbray. That way, we'll have a chance at capturing one of these snipers and interrogating 'em, along with the increased ability to contact General Tauroneo. If he can tell us what's going on, then we might find a way to keep the situation from getting any worse." Soren spoke.

"I agree with Soren. Furthermore, as Crimeans, it is our duty to help our nation at all costs. Delbray is a critical stronghold, and as we saw with Geoffrey's leadership back when we were liberating Crimea, Delbray has never fallen to the enemy. Of all times, we cannot let that happen now. Let's go." Titania clenched her hand into a fist and raised it in front of them with a smirk.

"Well, Ike, let's gather the men. I guess these two have already made up our minds for us." Oscar shrugged.

"Alright then. Soren, get everyone to pack their bags and get ready. We're moving out!" Ike nodded, standing up from his seat.

* * *

"My lord Ike, it's a blessing to have you here!" Elincia smiled as the Greil Mercenaries entered the royal palace.

"I'm glad you think so. However, when our friends are dying afar, greetings can be exchanged later. Have you any news from Delbray?" Soren spoke before Ike could open his mouth.

Elincia was stunned, but quickly recovered. "I haven't received word from Geoffrey at all... Even if Bastian, Lucia, Astrid, and Kieran were with him, I fear something might have happened..."

"It can't be... Geoffrey's one of Crimea's finest, and Kieran would never let an enemy get the better of him..." Oscar mumbled.

"Heh, guess that goes to show that reputation doesn't make you skillful on the battlefield." Shinon scoffed softly.

"We must go to Delbray's aid..." Titania began, and Elincia nodded.

"Yes. And, as always, I give you all the thanks I can give, and I will send as many reinforcements and escorts as you'll need... It's taken a while, but the bulk of my troops, who were in training in the fields south of here, were finally able to arrive. Once they're rested, you can all head out..." Her majesty smiled.

"That would not be necessary. Ike, we're heading out now. If we've lost contact with Geoffrey, we can only assume the worst, and that would mean that we'd have to retake Delbray. It is a location far too critical to allow it to remain in enemy hands. All of you, repack your bags. We're going to go out first. Milday, I ask that once your troops are fully rested, you send them after us as reinforcements. I believe we're going to need them very soon." Soren spoke up.

"Very... Very well... May Ashera be with you."

"I think we'll need more than Ashera to win this fight, but thank you." Soren nodded, urging the others along as they left the palace's east gate.

And as the Greil Mercenaries moved out to the east, towards Castle Delbray, storm clouds filled the horizon. Sooner or later Crimea's finest tactician would get his answers. The question was, how would he be able to save his comrades from this new fiend's jaws?

* * *

1. How else do you explain the skill "Savior?"

2. Ever play real-time strategy games, like Starcraft? Well... Let's say you have a situation where your troops do a mediocre amount of damage, but are quite swift, like the Vulture unit from Starcraft. Therefore, they are adept at hit and run tactics; in the sense that they pelt the enemy with shots again and again, while running back to avoid retaliation. This tactic can help take out quite a few of your foes, which might even your numbers a bit... Or, at the very least, you'll be able to do some damage before you can get reinforcements (or, in Crimea's particular case at the moment, simply do enough damage to terrorize your foes...)


	5. Refuge

WARNING: Some intense violence during the siege of Delbray. This chapter is not intended for people under fourteen, but you probably already expected that. XD

Chapter 5: Refuge

The tears fell from his eyes for the first time in so many years.

He did not cry, not even when King Ashnard ruined his nation and forced so many of his brothers to fight for a disgusting cause. He did not cry when tens of thousands of his brothers and sisters died in Crimea's hands... Hell, he had even helped those Crimeans kill the Daein soldiers who did not question Ashnard's foul judgment. No matter how much he regretted killing his own siblings, he knew that it was for the best... He was fighting for Daein's future, not for its present.

But now he was crying.

Daein's future would be no more...

His country could survive one crushing defeat, and Ashnard's fall was that crushing defeat. Because of that defeat, the nation of Daein was weak and ill protected, and its people were forced to live meagerly in order to allow King Pelleas to attempt to restore the nation. He stood by King Pelleas, and though everyone scoffed at General Tauroneo for leaving the Daein lines and assisting the Crimeans in their attempt to restore their nation, they eventually praised the former Steadfast Rider for returning to his ruined home and doing everything in his power to help it rise again.

But to have King Pelleas murdered at Prime Minister Izuka's hands, to have so many warmongers roaming the streets of Nevassa, forcing these poor boys who have witnessed so much death to take up arms and battle for Begnion's sake... These were unforgivable sins... Izuka was forcing the people of Daein to fight for Begnion and go to war once more. So many sons of Daein would die meaninglessly, and he, General Tauroneo, would be powerless to stop them.

He had sworn to live and die as a warrior of Daein... He had turned arms against his former King because that King had betrayed Daein... That King let so many of his brothers and sisters die so pointlessly, all because that King had his own mad, unfathomable ambitions... But now that King's heir, Daein's hope, was dead, and with that fallen hope these Daein loyalists no longer had anywhere to turn to.

The lavender-haired swordsman who marched beside Tauroneo saw the devastation in the old man's eyes, and spoke up.

"Though... Though we were enemies once, we can always turn to Crimea. Queen Elincia would recognize you, General, and Jill and I are also part of those veterans who fought for the Greil Mercenaries..." Zihark mumbled.

"Crimea..." Tauroneo mumbled that name with uncertainty. "Why would Crimea shelter a high-ranking Daein commander?"

"Because you are no ordinary Daein commander." Jill answered for Zihark, smiling.

"But... But wouldn't the Crimeans resent..."

"They didn't when you were among the twelve who stood beside Ike when he took down Ashnard."

"True... But our men..."

"I'm sure you know what kind of ruler Queen Elincia is. Do you think she'd let our brothers die simply because they are Daein warriors? Surely you have turned cynical, General."

"True... I guess it's our best option now. Very well... All units! Head for Delbray! There we can contact the Crimean army and, through them, Queen Elincia of Crimea! Within the borders of Crimea, we can plan our strategy for saving our beloved Daein!" Tauroneo yelled, and his men raised their spears in support.

* * *

"We will reach the outskirts of Delbray city in about half an hour, if we keep the pace of our march." A Crimean sergeant announced to Soren and the other officers.

"Very good, sergeant. Thank you for that report." Titania nodded, letting the officer return to his unit.

"This is strange... The lands around here do not look damaged. That means that the Daein troops have not had the time to leave the Delbray area..." Oscar stroked his chin.

"Could that mean that Delbray might still be contested ground? Geoffrey and the others might be alive!" Titania smiled, hope shining in her eyes.

"Or maybe those Daein soldiers have gotten exhausted from their victory..." Soren mumbled bitterly.

And Titania frowned.

"Soren, stop being so..." Ike scolded, but was cut off.

"Stop being pessimistic? Hah! Why would I when there's a chance that some of our old comrades are likely dead right now, have you thought of that?! Why assume that we're going to see the best scenario? You should always assume the worst, that way, when the road proves less bumpy than you thought, you'd be happier than if you expected an easy ride and had it full of pebbles." Soren scoffed.

"It looks like only an eighth of the troops Elincia had in Melior reached our sides in time. Can we give these Begnion warriors a beating with so few of them?" Oscar thought aloud.

"Whatcha 'fraid of? We'll kick them into next week! We'll make them run back to Sienne and tell their friends that the Greil Mercenaries are the scariest people around!" Mia laughed.

"And we'll feather those who are too slow to run." Shinon added with a smirk.

"I wonder if there are any fine la..." Gatrie was cut off when Titania slapped him in the face.

"Such disgusting thoughts at such an inappropriate time. Then again, I doubt that half the words that come out of your mouth are ever appropriate..." Titania sighed.

Gatrie bowed his head like a punished dog, while Soren sighed.

"Only fools let themselves get so easily distracted. We are here to rescue however many friends still live in that carnage, and if your attention wavers we will fail in that mission. Stay sharp! Stay vigilant, and victory may very well be ours." He declared.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Lady Lucia..." Astrid mumbled as both women stood on the battlements of Delbray.

"Why didn't Geoffrey let me fight with him and Kieran at the gate? Why did he make me stay here? Even Bastian was allowed to stand behind him and serve as fire support..." She mumbled.

"It's probably due to the fact that armored knights and calvary are able to handle attacks better than lighter units such as yourself, Lady Lucia. To send someone who does not know how to use a bow or throwing weapon and has light armor on the field is a foolish endeavor, and I'm sure the General realized this..." One of the snipers stationed at the battlement answered.

"If only I had a Storm Sword, or a similar weapon... I would not have to watch my brother die without being able to help him." Lucia snarled bitterly.

"The gate is holding, milady, and your brother and Kieran are still..."

"That's not what I meant. If we are to die today, I would rather die by my brother's side than watch him fall without having been able to do anything to prevent his death!"

"Do not talk of death so lightly, Lucia..." Astrid dropped the formal tone now. "Our forces are completely surrounded and so many of our comrades have fallen already..."

"I... I must go to him..." Lucia hissed, making a move towards the stairs.

"There is little you can do to help, milady... You should stay here and wait for further instructions from the General..." The Sniper protested, and Astrid nodded. (1.)

With a sigh, Lucia looked at the horizon. "Will Elincia send reinforcements in time?"

* * *

"I see the Crimean flag! The castle is still in our hands!" Titania cheered as they finally entered Delbray's outskirts.

"Or it could be an elaborate trap..." Soren mumbled, but his comrades, all overjoyed at seeing that flag, refused to listen.

"Ok, I see an ocean of foes... It looks like the castle has not been breeched, but more and more Begnion warriors are clogging the castle's entrance as they try to get in. If we don't hurry now, they might actually have a chance at breaking through..." Oscar nodded.

"Then we cannot let that happen. Everyone, charge! Show these Begnion warriors that Crimea never abandons its own warriors!" Titania yelled as she rushed forward. The entire army followed, despite Soren's protests for stealth and tactical restraint.

* * *

"General, more Crimeans have arrived. They are coming from the west, and are approximately six thousand strong..." A Begnion halberdier bowed.

"That's all? What a pity. I expected them to send tens of thousands of reinforcements. Do they intend to taunt us? Still, those warriors in Delbray are skilled, and I should hope that, on the field, these reinforcements will be just as entertaining. All units! Enemy reinforcements have arrived, and now we find ourselves facing foes in multiple areas! Prepare yourselves and strike accordingly!" General Rolan of the Confederacy thus called to his troops on the field.

* * *

"It... It's the Crimean flag!" A Crimean archer yelled to his comrades.

"Reinforcements? Now?" Astrid ran over to the parapet's sides to look out into the distance, despite the fact that an arrow or two went flying towards her head.

"Will... Will they make it in time?" Lucia mumbled uncertainly. She had believed that they'd make it out successfully when this battle began, but after weeks of being forced to hole up in Delbray, with more than three fifths of the comrades who were with her in the beginning of the battle dead, Lucia now had a different point of view of the situation.

"Milady, the Crimean army has learned from the mistake known as Daein's invasion. We are a much stronger people, and the soldiers that her majesty has sent are likely the finest she could muster. I'm certain that they will be here to help us." The sniper nodded.

"I wonder..." Lucia mumbled, staring at that distant flag as it moved closer. "Are you among them?" She spoke at it, despite the fact that the man she was talking to could not hear her.

* * *

A pegasus knight with white armor flew low over the central battalion of the Begnion troops. She was carrying one passenger, who quickly leapt off her steed and landed on the ground.

The man carried a single large sword, and the various Begnion lance wielders who closed in on the Begnion intruder smirked. This fool had no idea what he was doing, did he?...

Until they saw his face...

And upon seeing their terrified stares, Ike smiled.

As the commander of the Greil Mercenaries tore through his foes like a knife through butter, the rest of the Crimean forces slowly ripped apart their Begnion counterparts.

"Hyaah!" Titania charged in between the various armed warriors surrounding her. As bones cracked and screams filled the air, her axe drew blood from many a red-armored foe.

A series of foes clenched their chests, howling as gaping holes let the blood drain from their bodies. Oscar rode along, skewering enemy troops left and right. Though he was not a particularly swift target, the enemy still found it impossible to cut him down.

But the greatest monster of the Crimean lines proved to be their old champion mage.

As a wall of red armored troops closed in on him, Soren smirked.

"Some of you should recognize me from the war of Crimea's liberation. And those of you that do, well, I wonder why you're even willing to attack me. Those of you who have not have heard of 'Master Soren,' I should hope. And if not, well, I would not like to be you at this very moment."

But even as he taunted them the Begnion warriors continued to close in on him.

"Fine. If you want to die, you should have told me earlier." And with that, he raised his arms.

In seconds, the sky cackled with golden lights, and thunderbolts of various sizes plummeted down upon the advancing Begnion tide. Hundreds of Begnion soldiers shook violently as the electrical energy ran through their bodies. The lightening cackled eagerly, frying every single one of these warriors, and soon their charred bodies littered the ground before the black-haired mage.

"Hmph, and I was expecting a far greater challenge. What a pity." Soren scoffed.

"That's... That's cruel..." Mia mumbled as she hacked through a Begnion armored knight who dared to duel her.

"And slaughtering Crimean soldiers without provocation is not?"

"Two wrongs don't make a right, Soren!"

At those words his eyes widened. "You... You may be right on that... But your hands are just as bloody... That is the fate of us warriors. We see death so often that, for many of us, it no longer triggers our human sympathies."

Mia decided to ignore him on that. Clearly, his heart had grown rather cold.

* * *

Lucia watched in awe as Ike, leader of the Greil Mercenaries, continued to hack their foes like nobody's business. "I see that his swordsmanship hasn't waned at all since last we met." She smiled.

Then she saw that thunderstorm in the distance, and yelped. "Soren! That's got to be Soren! There's no other mage who could possibly blast foes with such a huge radius."

Astrid smiled at Lucia's enthusiasm, but frowned when she noted that the Begnion army was still persistent in its attempt to storm the castle.

"Those of you who have felt the pain of battle, come along! We archers must help Geoffrey and Kieran hold the line, or death will give us its cold greeting." She spoke as her steed galloped down the steps towards the castle gate. Quickly, several Snipers followed her.

"Forgive me, lady Lucia, but you will have to stay on the battlements a little longer..." One of them called back to her.

Lucia sighed as she continued staring out into the distance... There had to be some way she could help...

* * *

"Commander, our rear guard has been annihilated, and the left flank has taken massive casualties... Our right flank won't hold out for long if these Crimeans continue to push towards our central battalions..." A Begnion armored knight reported with head bowed.

General Rolan's face turned bright red in rage.

He would have received countless awards from Lord Lekain himself had he taken the fort, yet these reinforcements started to worry him.

But, of course, he could hardly afford to show these emotions.

"What madness is this? Begnion troops unable to hold off Crimean scum? Do you enjoy insulting your glorious comrades, men?! Beat them back! Break them! Force them to repent for having betrayed our glorious nation!" The General yelled, yet his eyes widened in fear as he watched Ike cut through dozens of his finest veterans.

* * *

"It seems that a pincer maneuver followed by the hammer formation is not enough to phase our Begnion foes. They've taken many casualties while we're mostly unscathed, but they still outnumber us greatly... I wonder what measures I must take to finally crush them..." Soren stroked his chin as he watched the two armies shift about along the plains.

"Master!" A Crimean calvary rider clattered to a halt beside him. "Reinforcements have arrived!"

"Of what sort?" Soren asked with an amused tone.

"Pegasus Knights, sir!"

"Air support? Excellent. It looks like the enemy ballistas have been compromised too. Have them dive into the enemy ranks. The enemy still has quite a few snipers, but upon seeing aerial reinforcements I'm sure our ground troops will engage them accordingly." Soren smiled.

Sword, axe, and lance waved in the air as Crimean and Begnion troops hacked away at each other, but soon the pegasus knights, the calvary of the sky, came hurling down upon the unwary Confederate troops.

Indeed, Begnion's pegasus knights were far more renowned than their Crimean counterparts, but these Crimean Pegasus Knights had originally been founded by General Tanith of the Begnion Holy Guard, and thus they were given the most stringent training possible. Furthermore, now that the Confederacy had betrayed the Empire, the Holy Guard, which consisted of the most elite of Begnion pegasus knights, were not on their side. The Confederacy, robbed of its trump card, now found itself pelted from above by these brave women.

Sure enough, Crimea's calvary divisions immediately surged into the Begnion ranks, taking down as many enemy archers and fighers as they could before their air support wrecked havoc from above.

Overwhelmed by this flow of enemy troops, the once proud legions of Begnion screamed and flailed about, trying to find some form of shelter from those sharp aerial spears.

"Commander! We won't be able to hold our position much longer!" A Begnion halberdier wailed as he ran to the Begnion General's side.

"Curse them... These dogs have sharp fangs indeed. All units, cut your way through to the castle! If we focus our energies on seizing it we might develop a strong enough position for reinforcements to arrive... Then they can assist us in driving the remainder of the horde away from Delbray. Our foes within and without the castle are skilled, no doubt, but they cannot hope to succeed when faced with the full might of the Confederacy!" Rolan raised his spear and yelled at the survivors of the carnage.

* * *

As they say, old habits die hard.

A spear, when thrown correctly, can force the victim to reguritate large amounts of blood, thus terrifying said victim's allies.

An arrow, on the other hand, is almost guaranteed to make anyone cringe when fired at point blank range.

And when a sea of red-armored knights get arrowed in the face only a few feet away from the archers who fired said arrows, one can easily tell that something is terribly wrong with Begnion's chain of command.

"Commander Richardson, our frontline soldiers are getting blinded, skewered, and blasted by spells from those Crimean dogs, and yet the General continues to order a charge... If I were less loyal I'd be requesting a mutiny... Rather, I believe we should retreat and contact Lord Lekain... No commanding officer should be this incompetent when leading his troops." A halberdier reported to a nearby mounted knight.

"You may be right on that, Lieutenant Duran... I cannot bear the agony of watching our brothers and sisters die so pointlessly in their assault on the castle. Castle Delbray is a critical strategic location, and is not particularly easy to storm... One must tactically annihilate its defenders and not charge head on, for the chokepoints that castle holds and the various parapets from which snipers can cut down our troops are far too many... Our soldiers are witnessing this firsthand, yet Rolan does nothing to spare them. Lieutenant, gather the men under your command and I'll gather mine. We will leave this pointless battlefield and make sure that some Begnion warriors will stay alive to tell Sienne of the horrors that have arisen here..." With that Richardson began to ride away, and Duran immediately began yelling at various soldiers to follow him.

"So a mere Commander and a Lieutenant show disdain for my command. No matter. Captains, Commanders, Lieutenants, Sergeants, guide your respective battallions and squads and strike the Greil Mercenaries and the Crimean reinforcements. Those of you who are in charge of purely calvary groups, and those of you who have many calvary troops, come to me immediately. I have a special mission for you..." Rolan yelled across the field.

* * *

Ike swung his blade and another soldier came crashing on the ground, his arm lying a few feet away from his bleeding side. With a few more swings, entire squads of Begnion soldiers collapsed, their lives having been cut from them by that sharp blade. The commander of the Greil Mercenaries did not say a word as he slashed down those who stood before him. He had nothing to say to them... What could he say to these men who probably were forced to engage their Crimean neighbors in this bloody contest? What would be appropriate? Even Soren might not be able to give him a straight answer to that.

Even Rhys found himself staring an enemy fighter in the eye. And as the fighter raised his giant axe, Rhys raised his hand and from his palm a blinding flash of light forced the fighter to scream and collapse on the ground. His face had been burned by the sheer intensity of that light, and the figher could only cover his face and howl. Rhys crossed his hand against his chest as he sent a beam of shining energy down upon that unfortunate soul... May Elmine forgive him for causing such misery. At least he had ended it with that final stroke...

Three squads of Begnion soldiers surrounded Soren, and with a single tornado tome these same men found themselves slamming into the ground countless yards away from where Soren was standing. This blow was, perhaps, a mere warning shot considering that Soren could have torn them apart with his spells.

Yet another halberdier was not so lucky. As he rushed at Soren with his lance outstretched, the mage raised his hand in that direction, and suddenly the halberdier's armor was torn off, and the warrior screamed as his body was slowly ripped apart by the slashes of wind...

Soren closed his eyes as a stream of blood hit his arm. There was no joy in seeing your foe die so horribly before you, even if it was hard proof of one's prowess.

* * *

The horde of Bengion soldiers finally entered hand to hand combat with Geoffrey and the other knights, and with three more Crimean warriors falling before the enemy blades, the General realized that he might finally die here, on this battlefield, despite the fact that Ike had come with reinforcements and was crushing their foes in a nearby place.

Turning his head, he yelled at a mounted archer: "Call my sister. Tell her to run to the highest point of the castle and do what she can to get the attention of an allied pegasus knight... I will die here, but at least she can live on to avenge me and continue to help Elincia..."

_Elincia, my beloved, I have failed you..._ Geoffrey thought to himself as he rammed his spear into a charging enemy soldier.

"General Geoffrey, we are honorable knights of Crimea, and thus we will die gloriously here today! Lady, no, Major Astrid, it was an honor fighting for you for so long, but today you and I shall die as sister and brother in arms here..." Kieran spoke without a trace of regret in his voice. Raising his axe, he plunged himself into a batallion of foes with long spears, hacking away merrily at them despite knowing that his end was near.

The moment she heard the news, Lucia screamed. "That bastard! Does he think he can die while I merely watch?! We are family, and if we die we die side by side... I will not watch my brother die while I flee to safety like some selfish coward!" And with that she ran down the steps of the castle.

Finally, when the first two waves of Begnion soldiers perished, Geoffrey breathed a sigh of relief. Kieran and Astrid, along with a handful of other veteran knights, were still alive...

And, perhaps unfortunately, so was Bastian.

"'Tis a glorious day! It makes me want to go roll in some hay!" Bastian laughed.

At that moment Lucia came charging down towards her brother.

"Lucia? I thought..." Geoffrey muttered.

"You weren't thinking! We are siblings, Geoffrey, and if you die I shall die beside you. How can you expect me to live seeing you fall, knowing that I did nothing to prevent your death? If we die here, we shall die together as siblings should. Kieran, Astrid, thank you for watching over him... Now we four must stand and face the end together." Lucia raised her blade.

"My, my, the lovely Lucia is truly an inspiring persona indeed." Bastian smiled.

Lucia sighed as she turned to the distance, and her eyes widened as a sea of warriors appeared again, but, this time, they were calvary riders.

"They will arrive in minutes, General Geoffrey, and as honorable Knights of Crimea we shall charge forward and give them no quarter!" Kieran raised his axe.

"Grandmother... My brothers... Now I must raise my bow against my homeland once more. The Confederacy must be stopped, and I will die standing against it..." Astrid mumbled as she put her bow to her chest.

The riders came ever closer, and these warriors of Crimea readied themselves for the end...

But then a curious occurrence showed up before their eyes.

The entire army of calvary shock troops that were charging towards them suddenly flew far to the left. Though the winds were fierce, Lucia could make out their screams. They were totally caught off guard.

From a distance Soren had his hand raised, and he was panting furiously.

"That... WAS AWESOME, SOREN!" Boyd called with a smile and a thumbs up.

"Boyd... Damn you... DON'T GET DISTRACTED! I... I cannot continue... I... Need rest..." And with that, Soren collapsed.

"Soren!" Mist yelled, watching their tactician fall unconscious.

And with their tactician no longer able to fight or give commands, the Crimean army was forced to fend for themselves. Thankfully, by putting all his energy into that single casting of 'Smack,' the Begnion army had lost a good third of its surviving soldiers with one move...

With the final assault on Delbray thus compromised, the Begnion army found itself short on troops and surrounded by all sides. Rolan's eyes widened as more Crimean flags came waving from the horizon. What seemed to be such an easy mission proved to be a disaster...

* * *

His red eyes opened quickly.

The green flap of the tent was all that he could see, and he shook his head. What was going on? By all rights, enemy troops should have closed in on him and killed him by now. He was defenseless, and as the strategist of the Crimean Army, his death would have made their efforts so much more difficult.

But their foes were already crushed. They had taken so many losses while in comparison the Crimeans suffered relatively fewer casualties. Their foes were basically beaten.

That, and even if their foes were steadfast, the Crimean army had General Titania... And they also had _her_.

No matter what, he could not let her die. That girl, the Duchess of Delbray, was far too important to him. For her to die would prove his failure as a man, and as he turned his head to the right, he nearly jumped out of his bed. Speak of the devil!

She was sleeping there, her blue hair cascading down the sides of her body. Apparently, she had been sitting here by his bedside, waiting for him to regain consciousness. He looked at her shoulders and saw no cuts. Perhaps she was able to make it out with few wounds? He was alive, and so was she, and apparently there were enough healers in their ranks who were able to heal him... Did that mean that they were victorious?

Soren couldn't believe his eyes. Lucia had not fallen in battle as he had assumed. Rather, she was alive, and judging by her peaceful expression Geoffrey was alive as well. As long as those siblings were breathing, Delbray, their hometown, would be in Crimean hands. This proved that they were victorious... Lucia looked so serene, and she wouldn't be so had they failed to hold that castle.

He smiled to himself. It was foolish of him, really, to have spent all his magic energy on that one spell... Smack took much of his magical reservoir, no doubt, but an intense casting of that spell was unnecessary to allow Smack to deliver a devastating blow to the enemy. He had designed Smack to allow for one spectacular release of that spell, to allow for the fist of a last stand to strike the enemy and crush them, and he had used it then, knowing that if the enemy found his unconscious body, he'd be easy prey.

It was a miracle indeed. A miracle that he had survived, and a miracle that she had survived, and a miracle still that they had won without having her frown in her sleep. He smiled, if only future battles could turn out like this... Perhaps they could end it quickly and almost everyone could live...

But then he immediately frowned. That was a fool thinking just now. Wars were not meant to end swiftly. Vengeance was a powerful force that almost always arose after a war. Hatred, deceit, greed, these flaws of human nature would always resurface, and war would erupt once again. To hope for a better tomorrow was folly. Yes, one may experience peace, prosperity, and happiness for years, but even those years would come to pass, and the horrors of the battlefield would echo in everyone's mind again.

But why? Why did humanity have such follies? It made no sense.

He heard the tent flap open, and immediately closed his eyes.

"Lucia?" Ike's voice.

He heard her mumble and shake a little. "Ike?"

"Lucia, how is he?"

He heard her shuffle in her seat. "I've been at his bedside since yesterday afternoon, and he hasn't regained consciousness since then..."

"That's strange... Rhys said he should be just fine, and should be waking up any moment now."

"Well, he's still breathing, that's for sure... But... No, he shouldn't have any health problems, right?" He heard concern in her voice.

"None at all, and I regret not being able to celebrate our victory with the two of you." Soren spoke, and he heard Ike stagger and the chair lurch.

Soren opened his eyes and smiled. "So, Ike, I guess I don't have to be around for you to do just fine. Say..." He began to frown. "How many casualties did we take?"

Lucia stared at the ground, and decided to let Ike give him the news.

"Soren... You want the good news or the bad news?"

"Bad."

"In total, about 40 percent of the Crimean army, which consists of the troops originally at Delbray before we arrived and the reinforcements, of which we were a part of, were slain... Among the survivors there are a lot of wounded. Furthermore..." Ike turned his head towards the tent flap and leaned closer to Soren. "Bastian is still breathing."

Soren's eyes narrowed. "Ha, ha. No. He's still an old comrade of ours."

"Lighten up." Ike smirked.

"And the good news?"

"None of our old comrades from the Mad King's War fell. Thanks to you, Astrid, Geoffrey, Kieran, Bastian, and Lucia here were saved by that one stroke. The rest of us were able to hold our own... And you should have seen how fast Lucia ran to your position."

"You did that for me?" He laughed a little, turning his head to face her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She pouted.

"Lucia... Come here." He motioned for her to come closer, and that she did.

She grasped his hand with her own. "How are you feeling?"

"Fair enough... But don't worry about something like that. We can't let discomforts distract us from what must be done."

"C'mon, Soren. You need your rest. There's no point in overworking yourself when it's difficult for you to physically handle that workload to begin with." Ike sighed.

"The fact is, I can handle it, Ike." Soren sighed in response as he got up. "Lucia, Ike, let me change and prepare myself. I will be able to meet with you shortly in the war room. Delbray may be safe today, but I'll bet that they're planning a second attack."

Lucia and Ike glanced at each other. Was it right to let him work himself to death? But they both knew that he was too stubborn to listen.

"Alright then..." Ike shook his head as he left.

"See you soon." Lucia nodded as she followed him.

Soren shook his own head. There was no time to waste. They had to prepare for the flood, or it would consume them all.

* * *

1. If you insist on giving this nameless soldier who will not appear in the fic ever again a name, he shall hereby be called Billy. That's a nice, generic name for a generic character. XD


	6. A Second Try

Begnion doesn't know the meaning of 'give up.' If you're tired of fight scenes, well, that's the gist of what'll go on during this story arc. :P

Chapter 6: A Second Try

He smiled as he watched the bulk of the Begnion army march pass him.

Most of them did not notice him, despite the cold that emanated from his body. Yes, the Begnion mages and priests began to move warily, telling their comrades that something strange was afoot, but he saw fellow shamans and they seemed to care little about his presence.

He glanced at the Luna tome in his hand. It was amazing how powerful elder magic was, how beautifully it surrounded its prey. It was not a boring white or red, no, but a dark violet, sometimes even shifting to black. Dark magic was beautiful...

But so many things were not. War helped color the landscape, but the stench that arose after a battle was horrid. It was strange, really, the way that warriors seemed to appreciate visual art, since they made so much of it from their battle stances and formations along with the colors they left behind, yet they did not seem to appreciate the value of odors. Foul odors were common among troops. They left sweat that could stink for yards, and left the smell of rotting flesh that could stench for miles. Warriors fought so often, creating so much art, yet also creating so much ugliness. It was fascinating, yet he knew that it was horrible.

Then again, too many people would call his profession horrible. He merely wanted to study art... To study how the thing people seemed to fear most, death, could be made beautiful. Why did we have to fear death? It was inevitable. If one would fear it one might as well fear wild lions or tigers. The chance of you dying was much greater than the chance that you'd meet a wild tiger, after all.

And because he was curious about this form of art, people hated him. They chased him away when he tried to experiment with corpses. But why? Those who have perished are already dead. They have no use for their bodies anyway. To 'disrespect' the dead would be to forget about them, to ignore history. He was simply using the bodies that they left behind to study his art. He would never forget the souls that once inhabited those bodies, of course, but those souls had left already, and they probably wouldn't care about what he'd do to their discarded remains.

Bob scratched his bony chin as he thought about this. Through his mastery of elder magic, he knew how to postpone death. How old was he now? Two hundred and fifty? Yet he was still very curious about his art, unlike other old men whom he knew would simply relax in their homes complaining about the changes from the old days.

He fingered his Luna tome. This war would only cause a continental stench that would be an insult to art. As an artist, and as a powerful Druid he had to do something... These were times to take action, not to sit back in the distance and ponder. (1.)

* * *

As Ike and Soren stood outside the war tent, waiting for the others, Soren suddenly spoke up.

"We may have saved the fort, but I feel like a failure."

"Why is that?" Ike turned to him.

"40 percent of our men were lost in that last battle... Those kinds of losses are not something to be proud of."

"Considering the fact that the majority of those losses consisted of the troops originally at the fort before we arrived, I think you did quite well, Soren. Lucia did what she could to secure the fort with no reinforcements (before us, at least), and during a constant bombardment of enemy troops and aerial support, but she succeeded, and we helped crush the enemy. Both of you played your part as strategists, and because of that most of our men remain standing, ready to defend their country. There have been far too many defeats and ridiculously bloody battles throughout Tellius's history. Be proud that you were able to spare the majority of our soldier's lives." Ike replied.

Soren's eyes widened. "Titania helped you memorize that, didn't she?"

"You think I can't make great speeches?"

"Hmn... I guess I have rubbed off on you." Soren smirked.

Ike sighed. "Anyways, why are the others taking so long?"

"No idea... Sloth leads to the doom of armies, and I hope ours is an exception, otherwise we'll be Confederate fodder."

"You complain far too often for your own good, Soren." Lucia spoke up as she approached.

"I'm surprised. You took longer than usual to get ready." Soren smirked at her.

"That's because I was gathering the others." Lucia pointed behind her as Titania, Geoffrey, Bastian, and _Shinon_ appeared.

"Why Shinon?" Soren mouthed at her.

"Why not?" She mouthed back.

Soren shrugged his shoulders. Shinon did have the potential to be a strategist... If only he'd lower his peacock feathers...

"So, Ike, did you want to discuss something?" Geoffrey spoke abruptly, with a hint of irritation in his voice. Though he always tried to be cordial to Ike, there were times when the facade finally slipped. Elincia had showed romantic interest in Ike, after all, and Geoffrey was not one to appreciate that.

Before Ike could reply, Soren pointed at the tent. "Into the war tent, now."

* * *

"So, anyways, why are we meeting in this war tent? And why were we sleeping in a campground instead of the castle?" Shinon groaned. He did not like sleeping on a mattress with gravel stabbing into his back, no indeed.

"An army follows it's commander's example. If that commander is thrifty and humble, the army will be so. If the commander is greedy, the troops will be as well and raids and sacking of civilian areas will be common. We do this in order to keep our army humble and thrifty, Shinon, and quite frankly your greed is a bad influence for this army." Soren spoke, with no intention to stay tactful.

Lucia and Titania both glared at the strategist, but both knew that it was pointless to try to correct him.

"Whatever, runt. If you ask me we should spend so much time healing those idiots back in the fort. If they're too weak to take care of themselves on the battlefield, what makes you think they'll be dependable allies when we really need 'em?" Shinon scoffed.

"Shinon! That's cruel of you! Those warriors are our brothers and sisters!" Lucia snarled.

"No, they're dead weights, all of 'em. Only those who can pull their own weight can truly call themselves 'warriors.' The rest just get in their way."

"Either way, I'm sure we did not come here to debate about such things. Tell me, Ike, why are we gathered here today?" Titania turned to Ike.

"Soren believes that the enemy will strike again, and because of that we have to make precautions. Am I right?" Ike turned to Soren.

"Precisely. If you watched the enemy formation's closely, you'll notice that they are fond of the 'meatshield,' and 'ocean' formations. Those formations are almost guaranteed to require large amounts of troops, and the users of said formations can expect to have countless casualties. However, it will eventually get the job done: overwhelming the enemy and allowing one's army to achieve victory.

"If the Confederacy is so keen on using these tactics, it proves that they will do whatever it takes to conquer Crimea. They spent so many soldiers on Delbray because they want to get rid of the main threat that will block them from taking Crimea. I doubt we need to check on The Great Bridge; for it is without a doubt in Begnion hands at the moment. It would be wiser for us to hold our position instead and have them waste another vast army on us, and once they are thus weakened we can make our strike, retake the bridge, and crush whatever army might remain in Crimea's borders." Soren held his hand into a fist. (2.)

"The question is, what is the fastest way to break the Ocean formation?" Lucia inquired.

"When I was in the academy, we rarely had to deal with this formation, but if memory serves me right then the best way to break that formation is to 'fill the skies with arrows raining upon the foe.' The 'Ocean' formation would require troops to have high morale, otherwise few people would be willing to charge as a herd against the enemy, knowing full well that they'd die without even reaching the center of their foe's formation. We need to break that morale, and arrows hitting their faces and blinding their vision is more than enough to cause enemy soldiers to panic and start trying to flee." Titania answered. (3.)

"Meh, leave that to me. I'll feather their eyes out." Shinon shrugged his shoulders.

"Very well. I can only hope that your ego won't cause you to get careless." Soren smirked smugly.

Shinon scoffed. "Tsk. You just stand far behind everyone else and watch me. I'll break them all and send 'em running. They might be able to handle Astrid and the others fair enough, but a genuine pro's more than enough to kick their arses."

"Again, we shall see if your words match your deeds."

Lucia and Titania remained silent and just rolled their eyes. There was no point in trying to talk to two growling wolves.

But Ike wasn't so prudent. "Both of you! I know that you aren't really on good terms with one another, but we're on the same side! You're acting as though you're debating with an enemy envoy or something. Honestly, grow up and start acting like comrades!"

The glare Ike received from Shinon was enough to make him realize how silly his decision was.

Soren, though, gave him an embarrassed glance. "True... It is counterproductive to argue with a fellow officer."

"Thank you." Lucia mouthed at Ike.

Shinon just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'll gather the actual warriors in my sniper squad. We'll be feathering plenty of idiots when we're needed. So long." With that he quickly sprinted out of the tent.

"He who is queer tends to sneer." Bastian suddenly spoke, and Soren couldn't help but chuckle.

"Not so." Titania groaned. "Bastian, could you focus on the situation at hand?"

"But of course. You want me to train our sages to spread the wonder of magic, yes? 'Tis not a difficult task. For I am Bastian, downer of wyverns and overseer of Felirae. I am death, the destroyer of worlds, and those who face me do so at their peril!"

"I'm sure." Titania smiled. "Now it would be best if you reached your position."

"Of course, milady." Bastian bowed and exited the tent.

Titania immediately turned on the younger dame. "Lucia! What were you thinking? Inviting Shinon _and_ Bastian to a tactical war meeting?"

"The more minds the better. Shinon did make a point about the fact that our officer's quarters are a bit uncomfortable to our liking... Though I do agree that Bastian was completely useless."

"Shinon could have easily expressed his sentiments at our encampment gathering when we were deciding where to pitch our particular tents. Instead he chooses a spot and starts complaining about it. His so-called contribution did little for the issue at hand."

"True..."

"Be more prudent when selecting advisors, Lucia... "

"Whom would you have chosen? Our comrades with better judgment, such as Ranulf, Muarim, Tauroneo, Stefan, Ulki, and Zihark, are not here. Oscar might be responsible, but he's not exactly strategist material. Rhys would merely be appalled at many of our tactical methods despite the fact that he follows his orders quite willingly and efficiently. I don't think I need to mention Boyd or Gatrie... Therefore I selected the brightest among us to help... I knew they wouldn't be so keen on providing ideas like you or Soren, but they had a high chance of offering something decent for us to consider."

"Hmn... You may have a point... I pity the fact that your efforts weren't very fruitful."

"As do I, General. As do I..." Lucia groaned.

* * *

As Soren read and scribbled about on his battle report and on his war plan, only one other person was allowed in his tent to watch him.

Lucia bent her head over the opposite side of the desk, staring down at his meticulous work. "Nope." She spoke as he drew a line representing a Begnion advance. "They actually came through here." She pointed to another passageway left of where he was drawing.

"They tried to flank Gatrie's unit from the west? Hmn... Perhaps they were realizing that sheer numbers can't be depended on to win battles." Soren smirked.

"Unfortunately a basic tactic like that couldn't help them much." Lucia shared his smirk. It sure felt good insulting the enemy's intelligence, despite the fact that both knew that the Confederate army was a force to be feared.

After a short point Soren stopped. "I fell unconscious then... So would you mind showing me what went on afterwards?"

"Not at all." Lucia smiled as he shuffled to the side of his seat. Sharing the same seat, Soren and Lucia looked over the battle map together, with Lucia explaining how the Begnion troops panicked as they saw Crimean reinforcements coming from several angles at once, and how, slowly but surely, General Rolan was able to finally escape the battlefield, with Ike and Geoffrey chasing him far into the distance.

"Lucia..." Soren spoke when she was finished, staring into her eyes.

She was startled by the look he was giving her. "Y... Yes?"

"Based on what you've told me, it's clear that you charged through two squads of enemy halberdiers just to reach my position... That's along the lines of eight to ten people, all with long spears that could have easily struck you before you'd be in range to attack... You shouldn't play such games with your life."

Lucia sighed. "I know you're worried, Soren, but..."

"It was foolish of me to have used that attack at that particular moment, I know... But my sacrifice would have been sufficient to save the five of you... Your reckless attack just for me would likely have ended with your death... And... And I do not think that was a prudent move..." Soren shook his head.

And she gave him a slap to the face.

"Wha-?"

"It's because I'm a woman, isn't it?"

Soren was too shocked to answer.

"You may have planned out many skirmishes, Soren, but I have also fought many battles in my lifetime, and I daresay that I probably have spent my life on the battlefield longer than you have. Because of that, I've learned quite a few things about holding my own in battle.

"I know you're worried, and that's sweet of you, but to assume that I did not know what I was doing when I rushed through enemy troops who clearly had the advantage over me in order to protect you is unfair and arrogant of you, Soren. You are the backbone of the Crimean army, therefore your sacrifice would make our efforts extremely difficult. To lose you would cripple this army, therefore it would be incredibly stupid of me not to come to your aid.

"As for me, I am no novice with the sword. Many times I've faced a skilled lance wielder, only to cut him down and move forward. What makes you think that ten spearmen who aren't even veteran troops blocking my way would be a problem for me? I was able to take out both those squads and reach you before the enemy did. Because of me, you're lucky to be alive." She hissed.

Soren could only stare at her. "I'm sorry, Lucia... I just don't think that you have to risk your life for me... You are so critical to this army..." He stammered.

"So are you." She retorted calmly, but sternly.

"I... I just don't want you to get hurt." He nodded, staring at her.

"We're in agreement, then. Neither do I. I can't bear seeing you wounded."

Soren took this moment of reprieve to chuckle. "... I feel as though we've had a debate like this before..."

"Well, you're the kind of person who doesn't learn some things on the first lesson." She sighed.

"..." Soren couldn't really counter that.

* * *

"Ike... Ike, are you in there?" Titania called from outside the tent flap.

"Come in." Ike spoke, and that she did.

"Ike... I know that you might be surprised to hear this, but..." She turned away, not wanting him to see the worrisome look in her eyes.

"Hmn? What's with that face, Titania?"

"I... I am uncertain if we will win this next battle..."

"Why?"

"I have a feeling, a premonition, if you will. I believe that the Confederacy would not have pulled all of their troops out of the area so readily... It's like they're trying to get us to leave the castle's vicinity... It's a good thing we aren't falling for their ploy... But our camp is still a distance from the castle wall, and something doesn't seem right..."

"Hmn..." Worry started to fill Ike's eyes too. Titania was a veteran of several battles, and had plenty of experience. Her words did sound a little paranoid, but she did have a point... It was so quiet outside, just like the time when the Daein army had surrounded the Mercenary Fort.

* * *

"'Tis a bad omen indeed..." Bastian mumbled as he stared out into the distance.

"What?" Boyd blinked. Both men were put on watch, but it was clearly a foolish move on Oscar's part, for Boyd couldn't possibly understand Bastian.

Bastian pulled out his Bolting tome. "Boyd, thou must flee to the others and alert General Geoffrey or the Lady Lucia or Master Soren or what have you... We shall soon engage the enemy, and everyone must be alerted."

"What do you mean?" Boyd looked confused.

Bastian sighed. "Watch me." With that he raised his arm, and a stream of thunderbolts came crashing down on a distant point.

_And our heroes heard the dying scream of a dragon..._

* * *

"What was that?!" Lucia gasped as she lifted a cut in the tent that served as a window.

"I'll ask our troops on watch." Soren stammered as he ran out of his tent.

* * *

And from the castle, Rhys heard the scream, and shivered.

"Those of you who have recovered, stand guard at the gate and at the parapets... The enemy will begin to besiege us very soon..." He spoke frantically, rousing all the recovered troops into a frenzy.

They scampered over to each battle position, and sure enough, though it was still nightfall, the Crimean snipers could spot the black shadows of ravens in the sky, along with the giant forms of Dragons closing in on Ike's encampment. Surely, it was a fools move to split their forces. Soren had thought that it would keep them from getting hemmed in and being unable to communicate with the outside, yet now the whole camp would probably be razed to the ground by these dragons.

* * *

"They've decided on a night raid... And they're using Dragons..." Ike spoke as his veterans gathered around the central campfire.

"Geoffrey, Oscar, Boyd, Rolf, Mia, and Kieran are up in the castle with the majority of our troops... The rest of us veterans, and twenty percent of our army, are stationed in this campsite... Should we make a run for the castle?" He added, glancing around at the various faces staring back at him, some of them in shock.

"It would be a good idea. I thought we'd be able to establish communications easier if we had an external base, but these circumstances have proved me wrong..." Soren muttered, cursing himself for not anticipating such desperate measures.

Shinon scoffed. "And you were the one who say we should take precautions, yet you decided that it would be a good idea to camp out here in this shitty field. Well, look how wrong you were!"

"Shinon!" Lucia snarled, sick of his damming complaints.

"Quiet, all of you! We need a pegasus knight to go to Melior and alert Her Majesty, otherwise we will be overwhelmed by the enemy." Titania spoke sternly, hoping that she'd calm everyone down.

"Alright, then. Once that knight has taken off, we'll prepare ourselves. Everyone, we'll have to retreat from this campsite back to the castle, and if there are enemy troops who are in our way, we must cut them down! Only in the castle can we hope to withstand this siege." Ike ordered as the Crimean army moved out.

* * *

1. You've probably figured it out by now, so I won't hide it. Would this make Bob the only Druid affiliated with Crimea / The Greil Mercenaries? (Well, he's technically Crimea's ally, but still.) I honestly don't think any Druid would normally affiliate themselves with Crimea, as idealists tend not to like people who draw their magical powers from things associated with death. That, and Daein has fewer mages in comparison to Crimea or Begnion to begin with, so I'm pretty sure there are no Druids there either...

2. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance refers to that large bridge that links the nations of Crimea and Daein as 'The Great Bridge.' I shall continue to use that name.

3. Obviously, life sucks as a participant of the Ocean formation, which is why nations such as Crimea and Daein, who actually care about their people (in Daein's case most of the time), are loath to use it. Of course, the Begnion Confederacy, with its huge population and the fact that it wants to absorb all lesser states, couldn't care less.


	7. Of Steel and Blood

Chapter 7: Of Steel and Blood

The hooves of Astrid's mare pounded across the ground as she rode for the castle.

And Astrid tensed on her saddle as Gatrie tightened his arms around her waist.

She could hear him sniff through her hair. He tightened his grip even more, and whispered in her ear: "You're so soft..."

Astrid flushed bright red, but a look of extreme irritation began to stain her lovely face. "Gatrie! You are violating the Crimean military code of discipline! Article Three Section Six states that unwanted sexual contact of any kind cannot be tolerated between soldiers! Do you want to get court marshaled?"

Gatrie's eyes widened as she turned her head a little and gave him a death glare. He immediately let go of her.

"Wait, but then you'll..." She gasped slightly and reared her horse. Sure enough, Gatrie flew off her saddle and slammed against the ground.

She put her hands to her mouth. "Are you alright?"

"I guess I deserved that..." Gatrie snickered a little as he got up. Who would have thought that people like Jill would be a huge influence on sweet, innocent Astrid?

"At any rate, get on, but don't even think about doing anything funny, or I will report this to Soren." Astrid's eyes narrowed as she scooted a bit forward on her saddle.

Gatrie gulped. She deliberately said 'Soren,' didn't she? Astrid probably knew that Ike would be lenient, but Soren, who already considered Gatrie a nuisance, would probably make him do days of back breaking labor just to give him something to do instead of chase after women.

Then again, that was assuming they'd survive the legion of dragons that were meandering towards the castle. (1.)

* * *

Mist knew her mare could only take so much weight before it got exhausted. Ike was rather heavy, but he was her brother and the commander of his army, so she tried to convince her horse to bear him along with her.

With Florette and Ettard at the ready, Mist and Ike's eyes scanned the fields as her horse continued to gallop along.

Ike winced as he saw a squad of fleeing Crimean troops get torn to pieces by six swift ravens.

"For Melior!" He heard two or three voices yell out, and though one raven finally plummeted to the ground those remaining soldiers screamed their last. Mist couldn't bear to watch as Ike shivered behind her. Despite being a commander and watching so many soldiers die, Ike was not one to stand unmoved at the death of his men.

With a mumble, Ike wondered if men not far from here had yelled "For Nevassa!" before facing the Confederacy's finest and screaming their last.

Looking to the sky, he saw more ravens descending upon Crimea's fields.

"Ike, snap out of it!" Mist yelled as she pulled her reigns and forced her horse to dive forward.

Ike shook his head. She was right. Melior had fallen once, yet the Crimean army's resolve lived on. Daein's people were likely the same. The honor and glory that the Daein army cherished so much was far from dead... He had to believe that...

* * *

They ran close together, and could feel each other's body heat. The only sound both could hear was their combined panting.

"Soren... It seems that the ravens are deliberately ignoring us and going for our other foot soldiers who are unable to reach the castle quickly..." Lucia observed grimly.

"They are not fools, I'll give them that. However I don't think it's safe or smart for us to risk ourselves saving a squad or two..." He muttered.

"How can you say that?!" She gasped, appalled at his cruelty.

"I can because we must focus on our principles. Crimea cannot afford to save every soldier on the field. To rescue one warrior and lose five is something we cannot do. We are in dire straights. If you haven't realized it already, the reason why the Confederacy can throw so many soldiers at us is because they outnumber us extremely. Gallia cannot come to our aid, and neither can Phoenicis, as they are tied up in battle with Confederate troops at this moment. They have Daein, Kilvas, Goldoa, and the already vast resources and population of the former Begnion Empire itself. The odds are strictly not in our favor. It would be a fool's move to make the odds even better for them. The people of Daein were fools for not rising against Ashnard when Tor Garen fell, but we will not follow their mistake."

"Then wouldn't it be even more foolish to let our numbers whittle away more and more while theirs merely increase? Daein under Ashnard had no concern for their soldier's lives, and do you want Crimea to be the same, Soren? We are not asking untrained troops to rescue these men. If that was the case then you'd be more than right; those soldiers would die and few, if anyone, would be saved. We are veterans who have fought long and hard in Crimea's service, and if we're going to save some unfortunate comrades from those raven's talons, then we're more likely to succeed than anyone." And with that, she sprinted off towards the Crimean soldiers who were making frantic stabs in the air to try to bring their raven attackers down.

"If we fall, Crimea is crippled... If those brave soldiers fall, Crimea will be shorter on men, but it can still fight on... Oh, well, if we call ourselves 'noble' then we'll have to keep our word. Very well. I guess she's right" Soren sighed as he ran to join her.

* * *

Lucia leapt in mid-air, and with one slash hacked away at a raven's neck, sending the treacherous laguz plummeting down to his death.

The fellow ravens cawed in surprise and broke formation, getting as far away from Lucia as possible.

"Lady Lucia!" The squad of soldiers called out, shocked that she'd personally come to rescue them.

"What are you gaping at? Hurry! Head for the castle, now!" Lucia ordered hastily.

"Yes, ma'am!" They bowed and ran.

Soren came running beside her. "So you succeeded..." He spoke.

"See? What did I tell you?" She smiled a little as she turned and started sprinting for the castle along with the rest of the troops.

"Don't leave me behind!" Soren groaned as he quickened his pace after her.

* * *

Shinon smiled as the fiftieth raven he feathered slammed against the ground.

"Stupid subs... Think you're so tough, huh? Well, how do you feel getting feathered? You should be honored, for it's the pro of snipers, Shinon, who took out your pathetic hide!" He laughed as he looked around.

Raven corpses littered the field, each with one of Shinon's trademark arrows (the feathers were red like his hair) stabbed deep in their guts. He stroked his bow as he started to walk around. "I should probably regroup with the rest of them... Tsk, I guess they run faster than I thought."

He continued to confidently stroll towards the castle when he heard a deep breathing from behind him. A shadow loomed over the sniper, and as he gave a nonchalant glance he staggered back with a start.

A Goldoan white dragon glared down upon the sniper, and snorted. "Human, you seem to be quite adept at your profession, but I've never heard of a sniper who could take down a dragon alone!" The laguz growled as he raised his head.

Shinon smiled as he raised his bow. "You'll be a nice prize to feather."

* * *

"Ike! You've made it!" Oscar gasped as Mist rode into the castle gates.

"How many of our warriors have arrived?" Ike spoke sternly.

"The majority are safe here... It even looks like many of the camp's foot soldiers have made it... The problem is that some of them have reported that Lucia and other veterans of ours helped hold off the ravens as they fled here. Neither Soren nor Shinon nor Lucia have returned..." Oscar replied.

"That's... That's horrible... All three of them... We can't lose them..." Mist mumbled and shook.

"Someone will have to head out to rescue them..." Ike raised Ettard. "And among us Commanders, either Geoffrey or I must go... And Geoffrey can watch over our position in my place. I can't leave any of them out there."

"As an honorable Knight of Crimea, I cannot abandon the Lady Lucia. I shall accompany you and serve my country accordingly." Kieran raised his axe.

"I will go as well. There are too many ravens in the area and without a bowman we might get ambushed easily..." Astrid held her bow tightly as she stepped towards the entrance.

"Astrid... Ike, I'll tag along." Oscar held his lance.

"If you four plan to head out like this, then you must be going mad. With only two riders who can carry passengers, you'll have to depend on either Ike traveling on foot or one of our comrades having to sprint their way back. I'll come with you, since that'll allow everyone to make it back on a mount." Titania hissed worriedly.

"Then it shall be you five only. If we send any more, the enemy will take advantage of your absence. Good luck, though I'm pretty sure you won't need it." Geoffrey nodded as they set out..

* * *

"We still have some time before the dragons make it to the castle... And I don't plan on wasting any ravens. Even though they're sub-humans, they make for great air support." Rolan yawned as the Begnion army closed in on Delbray.

"General, permission to speak freely, sir... But you are so nonchalant..." A Begnion warrior noted.

"Heh. Why shouldn't I be? We have more than a hundred dragons available for this particular siege. If they can take down a hundred of Goldoa's finest, then they have to be gods. Our victory is assured." He replied with a smile.

At that moment, another soldier on the field snapped to attention before the General. His shirt sleeve bore the insignia given to those who earn the rank of Corporal.

"Sir... The enemy seems divided. A few seemingly veteran troops have been taking down several of our squads, while the vast majority of their forces are holed up in Castle Delbray. Killing off those veterans would reduce enemy morale, since their army consists mostly of a few longtime veterans and many new recruits who have received little to no training." He reported.

"Interesting. The enemy commanders are Generals Ike and Geoffrey, no? They must be cocky fools. It's a sloppy job, to leave one's veterans far from the main army. We'll take them out easily enough." Rolan smirked as he ordered a company of soldiers to close in on Soren and Lucia.

* * *

The couple found themselves standing back to back.

"So many of them... Hmn... I guess they really do love the Ocean formation." Soren smiled.

"Why do you look so merry? We're surrounded, Soren, wake up!" She hissed at him.

"Lucia... Don't be so uptight. Untrained troops such as these are not difficult opponents by any means."

"Even so, you can't get too smug and careless." Lucia spoke as she sprang forward and hacked down three men with a few strokes of her blade.

"That goes without saying..." Soren raised his hand, and a massive tornado threw dozens of Confederate troops far into the distance.

Though several of their men had fallen already, the Confederate soldiers continued to attack, and, thus, the couple continued their gruesome handiwork.

Lucia hopped among her enemy's spears, cutting down an enemy soldier with each strike. A squad of these fools was simply target practice for her, and it didn't take her long to take out a platoon of these numskulls. By the time her Confederate foes realized what was going on, half of their company was sprawled on the ground, either dead or practically dead, as Soren and Lucia advanced upon them.

They shook in their boots with fear in their eyes, and Soren, noting their fear, waved at Lucia to step back beside him instead of striking. "Miserable wretches, are you willing to inform your commander that your 'glorious' Confederate army can't even serve as an entertaining opponent for two of Crimea's veterans, or will we have to convince you that despite your numbers you are badly outgunned?"

A Confederate corporal began to shiver more violently than the others. "N... No, sir... Everyone, let's get the hell out of here!" And with that those troops began to run.

Soren couldn't help but laugh as half a company of the Confederacy's "finest" soldiers fled for their dear lives, fatally terrified of a mere two Crimean warriors.

Lucia shook her head. "If those were Crimean soldiers, then Geoffrey, despite himself, would definitely give them a good flogging."

"Well, with fools like Rolan in charge, you can't really blame them for having so little faith..." He chuckled.

* * *

For the first time ever, a single phrase began to loop in Shinon's mind.

"_Oh, shit..."_

For anyone to take on a dragon alone was foolhardy. Even if a dedicated thunder mage like Ilyana was handed Thoron and ordered to take down a dragon by herself, the outcome would most certainly be in the dragon's favor. Dragons were powerful foes, and though thunder magic could slither under their scales and fry the flesh within, there was enough flesh for the dragon to stay alive and be able to counterattack with that devastating fiery breath.

Rexbolt was out of the question. None of their sages owned one, and with Soren being the only carrier of Thoron and with Bastian having only a couple of Boltings (but with no mages with whom he could share those devastating tomes), there was no one who could give Shinon adequate fire support as he sprinted away from that beam of destruction. (2.)

* * *

The ground shook.

The fields burned.

The warriors ran.

And despite the efforts of their foes, the dragons easily surrounded the castle.

"Ike, Titania, and the others have not returned..." Geoffrey gripped tightly onto his brave lance. "Without Kieran how will the Crimean army maintain their resolve?" He muttered.

"Geoffrey, dost thou feel hopeless and forlorn?" Bastian blinked as he stepped beside the younger knight.

"Um, no, Bastian... Why would I feel forlorn? Kieran might be an important comrade of ours, but if Titania and Ike are with him then I'm pretty sure that he's far from dead... However this must mean that the enemy has ambushed them and they'll take a while to get back to us... I can only hope we can hold our own against these dragons, for though Ike is quite powerful he cannot face four dragons on his own." Geoffrey muttered.

Bastian smiled knowingly. "Art thou bothered by Elincia and Ike?"

Geoffrey turned red. "No... Of course not... Bastian, my good man, what the heck are you saying?"

Bastian chuckled. "Thou mustn't be embarrassed, Geoffrey."

Geoffrey groaned. No wonder why Lucia would always try to sneak out of the room whenever Bastian entered. "Bastian, I am currently making a plan for this dire situation... Could you get back onto the observation post and fry a few more Dragons with Bolting to help even our numbers?"

"Dost thou not need my tactical brilliance?"

"Erm, not now. I think I can manage just fine."

"Very well. I shall force these dragons to flee back to their dens."

"Yeah... You do that..."

* * *

He raised his hand, and a stream of thunderbolts struck a small dragon, swiftly downing the mighty laguz.

"The red dragons seem to be less powerful in general, while the white dragons are devastating and act as leaders... It would be great if we could take down every single white one and thus rout those lesser reds, however they simply are too powerful..." Soren muttered bitterly.

"Hmph.." Lucia scoffed. "A pity killing edges aren't as effective in tearing through a dragon's hide... The sons of Goldoa truly live up to their reputation..."

However, she suddenly stopped talking and gasped. "Wait... Soren, I see something in the distance..." Lucia squinted her eyes for a better look as a flash of red flew to their right. In a matter of seconds, they spotted huge white dragon lumbering after it.

Soren narrowed his eyes as well, and sneered. "Well, well. It's Shinon. Looks like he isn't as powerful as he'd like us to believe."

"Soren..." Lucia murmured, giving him a concerned glance.

"Say no more." He waved his hand, and pulled out his Thoron tome from his robes. "Lucia, on my signal, rush towards the dragon with that silver sword of yours... Aim for the head, and slam the blade into its skull as deeply as you can, then get out of the way."

It took only two seconds for Lucia to smile and nod knowingly, and she immediately sprinted towards the formidable laguz.

Soren flipped through the tome, and began to mutter an incantation.

Seconds later, twelve thunderbolts slammed into the giant dragon from twelve different directions, forming a ring around the fierce Goldoan.

Thus stunned, the dragon could not react in time as Lucia leapt into the air.

With amazing speed and dexterity, she flew at the dragon from below and landed successfully on its nose. Raising her silver sword, she plunged it into the dragon's head, and quickly jumped off.

With an enraged roar, the dragon turned and blasted the girl with its fiery breath.

Lucia howled in pain as she hit the ground...

Soren yelled angrily and raised his arms, and, once again, the thunderbolts flew towards the dragon, but converged on the sword itself, blasting countless volts into its thick skull.

The mighty Goldoan gave a final roar before falling to the ground. "Damn you..." It cursed meekly before its eyes finally closed shut.

Soren sprinted to Lucia's side and activated his Mend staff. "I'm... I'm so sorry..." She heard him whimper. "Again, I didn't think..."

Lucia shook her head weakly with a faint smile. "It... Was my fault... I was careless enough not to move more swiftly. A dragon's breath is not difficult to avoid, even in midair, for it takes a few seconds for the dragon to gather the flames in its mouth and fire. By then one should be able to dodge, especially someone who's used to evading attacks like me..."

"Lucia..." He whimpered again as he focused more energy into the stave. (3.)

Shinon walked up to them. "Heh, failed to think critically again, eh?"

The piercing glares he got from the couple immediately made him change his stance.

"Oh... Oh, right... Er, thanks... A dragon's scales are surprisingly hard to feather. I guess I got careless too." Shinon smiled slightly.

Soren only nodded and continued to heal Lucia.

"Yeah. I owe you one, whelp." Shinon nodded. "And can I help? You're taking forever to heal her. If these subs are going to ambush us, then we can't afford to waste too much time stuck in one position. C'mon, let me help..." And as he spoke Shinon took out a vulnerary and approached the pair.

* * *

"This many casualties... Commander, the only notable force we have on the field is our Goldoan fire support... Our elite soldiers have been hacked to pieces by the enemy's blades... Our raven air support has retreated under heavy enemy fire. Our rear guard has..." The Begnion lieutenant stopped his report when screams of pain began to fill the air around the Confederacy's central encampment.

"What's going on?" Rolan growled.

"Daein slaves have broken through our rear guard! We need fire support! Get someone over here now!" Rolan heard voices shout from nearby.

Rolan raised his axe. "Who dares face the great Axe General of the Confederacy? Are any of you fools so blind?"

Suddenly a short spear came flying and struck Rolan in the shoulder, and as the commander staggered back a warrior in white armor appeared before him.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you might be the one who is blind, Sir Rolan of Begnion?" Tauroneo smiled as he began to twirl the Wishblade. (4.)

* * *

"General Geoffrey! Tis a merry day for us! We've spotted Daein troops engaging the enemy to the far east... The enemy's rear guard has been compromised, and with that their supply train has been cut off! Delbray shall be in our hands!" Bastian yelled from the watchtower.

"Daein soldiers attacking Begnion? What's going on?" Geoffrey wondered aloud.

* * *

"Brothers! Spread out! Back up the Crimean army!" Jill yelled as Daein's legendary wyvern knights split the skulls of many Begnion calvary riders from various directions.

"Commander Richardson was right... The slaves have more connections than we ever thought possible. All units, cut a path to the south! We must reach Fort Telgum! There is nothing left for us here." A Begnion lieutenant, like the faceless men whom he commanded, was forced to yell those painful words aloud. These warriors, these champions were supposed to represent the massive, invincible Confederacy.

Yet, here, in the town of Delbray, they attacked thrice and were defeated thrice. The Crimean slaves, who had turned their back on the glorious Empire, had defeated them... And now their Daein counterparts had come to help humiliate these Confederate troops even further.

Why? Why did they lose? How could they lose? These were questions that a simple officer like him could not ask. The great Minister Lekain knew all... He had a glorious plan, and perhaps a part of this plan was to give their enemy a false sense of security. He had to believe that, for there was nothing else a faceless officer could believe. A faceless officer like him had no right to question those who had earned enough merit to add a face to their name. (5.)

* * *

"Looks like those Begnion fools are fleeing. General, shall we pursue them?" Zihark turned to Tauroneo as the latter wiped the blood off his lance.

"It depends. What has General Geoffrey been doing?"

"It seems he's decided to hold his position."

"Then lower your weapons and approach the fortress. We need to talk, and if we're not distracted with those Begnion fools, than our talk will be more smooth and there'll be less interruptions."

* * *

Soren, Lucia, and Shinon crossed their arms as Oscar, Kieran, Titania, and Astrid came riding in, with Ike jumping off of Astrid's saddle.

"You three alright?" Ike spoke.

"Took you long enough, runt." Shinon scoffed.

"We're fine, Ike." Lucia nodded.

"There's no need for any of you to worry." Soren added with a shake of his head.

"As honorable knights of Crimea, we should return to base, then. It seems that our foes have been forced to retreat. Even the mighty dragons have decided to cease their fire and flee over the mountains. To think that the knights of Daein would come help us. I... I can hardly fathom such an occurrence." Kieran mused aloud.

Oscar shrugged his shoulders. "Friends and foes can change with the tide. Anyways, get on a steed, each of you, and we can get back to the fortress."

The three shrugged and did as they were told, with all eight veterans returning home.

* * *

1. I should have done this earlier, but I guess I should explain what I mean by 'Squad,' 'Platoon,' 'Company,' 'Battalion,' and 'Legion.'

Squad: On average, a group of 5 men/soldiers. Can be up to 10 men (a small Platoon) if the leader has gathered enough survivors from other broken squads. (Men is a general term for available soldiers, mind you.)

Platoon: Typically 15 to 20 troops, but, again, it depends.

Company: Made of several platoons. Typically consists of 100 soldiers.

Regiment: 500 to 1000 troops.

Battalion: Can be comprised of up to 3000 soldiers, or something along those lines... To avoid confusion and often panic, a battalion is defined as an army that is about a quarter of the size of a legion.

Legion: 10,000 soldiers.

2. IMMA CHARGIN' MAH... (Is shot repeatedly...)

But honestly, with the dragon's animation you probably saw that coming. :P

3. Soren whining is deliberate, just to let you know. He's no perfect or fixed person and I have no intention of making him one.

4. I'm well aware that the Wishblade is a ranged/melee weapon, but I find it theoretically more awesome when it is slammed into an enemy's skull at close combat rather than thrown. Besides, if Tauroneo already has a short spear, why would he want to waste Wishblade on prey that could be incapacitated with that other ranged lance?

5. In the army, there are quite a few who call themselves veterans, yet few remember them... If you've watched Forest Gump, well, Lieutenant Dan is an example, in a way.


	8. Ambition's Resolve

Chapter 8: Ambition's Resolve

"Master Lekain... General Rolan has fallen. The soldiers sent to conquer Delbray were completely routed, however, our Dragon fire support has, for the most part, made it safely to Telgam." A simple soldier bowed before the Confederate leader.

"Like I would care for the lives of a few strong sub-humans. That's Deghinsea's concern. Rolan, for his part, was an idiot. Nothing more, nothing less. Some say that General Tauroneo of Daein, whom Izuka should have gotten rid of, was able to lead a band of Daein troops to engage our men from behind and, thus, rout them. He helped Geoffrey and Ike crush a numerically superior army with a relatively small number of soldiers. Not bad." Lekain stroked his chin.

"My lord... By your leave..."

"Yes, go and call Minster Alviss here. I must speak to him in private." Lekain waved his hand and the soldier scampered off.

* * *

Lucia winced as Mist put rubbing alcohol on her neck.

The proud swordsmaster was ordered by Geoffrey to rest in the infirmity, and by her sick bed Soren and Rhys stood steadfast with mend staves.

"I'm _fine_, you three... Now, I must take care of busi..." Lucia snarled as she tried to get up, but Mist lightly pushed her back on the bed.

"I don't consider getting blasted by a dragon "fine," Lucia. Take it easy. Your brother, Oscar, Titania, and even Tauroneo have agreed to care for our soldiers and for the populace. Despite being a Daein commander General Tauroneo has shown great concern for our combined forces. I have no doubt that it's a move to bring sympathy to his cause, but why would we consider that a bad thing? He's an old ally and I'm sure he'll help complete your task well." Soren spoke and crossed his arms.

"I make one error and I become an invalid..." Lucia groaned.

"You're too diligent." Soren smiled.

Lucia glanced at Soren with a surprised look.

"What do you mean by 'too diligent?' We do have a lot of goals to accomplish, don't we? People like Geoffrey and Tauroneo are better off planning our battles. They shouldn't waste their time on domestic issues... That's why I'm here..." She snapped.

"Lucia, you have done many great things for this army... But you're wounded. If you try to overwork yourself, you'll only get hurt even more, and sooner or later you'll reach the point where you'll get injured and you won't be able to help our army at all. It's better for you to rest right now, and recover, and once you're better you can continue being the valuable member of this army that you've always been. But, for now, let the others fill your place for you." Rhys spoke quickly.

Lucia sighed. "I feel as though I'm being a burden... Maybe Shinon wasn't just being cruel..."

Soren gulped. He understood her sentiments perfectly. Being wounded only made Lucia unable to fulfill what was required of her, and because of that their forces would be so inefficient with several people trying to keep everything in order without Lucia at her post.

Their army's administration was a series of pillars, after all. When an army is small or when each comrade knows the other quite well, only a few key officers are required to keep it running smoothly. But, with a combined force of several people who, by all rights, barely know each other's strategies are marching together, administering said army requires many people, and because of their contributions to the army's stability, each one of these people is a pillar.

For his part, Soren was the central pillar of their tactical planning. He would help plan a strategy with the other "minds" of the army, and modify his tactics accordingly when the field conditions changed. Even Titania, with all her battle experience and success, would sometimes make critical errors when something started to go terribly wrong, but Soren was far more calm in that regard.

Lucia was an excellent domestics advisor. She knew how to keep morale and supplies high while ensuring that the local populace would support them. She was also an excellent strategist, which helped her fulfill many roles as another pillar of their army.

But, because she was this badly wounded, many people had to pool their combined talents together in order to match the role she fulfilled as a single person. Because of that, the army became less stable and weaker in that sense. That was why Lucia felt so ashamed. Her blunder at letting the dragon burn her made the entire army weaker, and with a weaker army there was a greater chance that a battle now would lead to the deaths of some of the people she cared about. Thus, one person's injury could lead to the death of several people, and Lucia couldn't forgive herself for letting that be a possibility.

Soren frowned. The two of them were so similar in that way. They were needed to keep their army efficient and to keep everyone alive, and with either of them wounded the chance of death was just so much greater.

* * *

Lekain stroked his chin as a much thinner, younger-looking man appeared before him. (1.)

"You wanted to see me?" Alviss raised an eyebrow, barely hiding his irritation.

"Of course." Lekain exaggerated a smile as he patted the younger man on the back. "As you know, the damnably incompetent Apostle has somehow escaped our army's grasp. She is somewhere near the border of Gallia and our beloved Confederacy, yet our scouts have been unable to spot her or her wretched Imperial Army or Holy Guard accompaniment. The Imperial Army has thus been able to evade the legions of our Confederacy thus far, and so I must ask you to lead a scouting party to hunt her down."

"Why must we waste more Begnion lives to hunt down that wretched excuse for an exiled ruler of our nation? We should focus on destroying our foes Crimea and Gallia first. It is very likely that Empress Sanaki will go to Gallia for refuge, and if she does so, then storming Capital Zarzi will flush her out. With that move, both tasks will be achieved at once. Do not repeat Sanaki's incompetence and allow more Begnion lives to be lost in vain." Alviss crossed his arms.

Lekain's eyebrow twitched. "Ever the spirited one." He forced a smile. "Do not forget that the traitor Bartholemu is dead thanks to our pursuing troops. (2.) We have whittled the Imperial Army down to a regiment or two, and the Holy Guard remains at only half the strength it once was. Our forces are doing well. We just need to make that last push, and then Sanaki will be gone."

Alviss sighed. "I must decline. I see no reason to waste time hunting down our wayward brothers when the enemy is still fierce and powerful. Even if Sanaki is against us, she is still a daughter of Begnion. She might surrender to the Confederacy and abdicate if she sees how well we've cared for our nation. However, if we insist on wasting precious resources on capturing and executing her, we will give Gallia and Crimea the chances they need to rally their allies and swoop in upon us. Our forces in Gallia have already taken massive casualties, and all attempts to conquer Crimea have failed. If this doesn't prove to Sanaki that her incompetence isn't nearly as great as ours, well, then I don't know what does."

Lekain huffed. "You are a Senator, you have a duty to uphold the Se..."

"My duties are to Begnion. I do not believe that pointlessly wasting Begnion lives to complete a task that could easily be done by destroying our genuine enemy will bring any gains to our nation. Thus, I must respectfully decline. I will return if I am truly needed." Alviss snapped and strolled off.

"That damn boy thinks he can make a fool of me, can he? I will prove to him that true Senators achieve their dreams, not obsess over pathetic principles." Lekain hissed.

* * *

Though burned poles of wood stood steadfast in the formerly lush forests of east Gallia, the red armored troops that once filled those lands were finally disappearing.

"Commander Ranulf, our brothers have located the last Confederate stronghold in this province. Once we conquer it, then the road to Susa will finally be cleared! Susa will be firmly in our hands once again, and if the Confederate army wants vengeance, then they will be forced to cross the mountains and meet our army head on! We shall show them that despite the catastrophic war that forced our brothers to fight each other, we Gallians shall prevail and crush our foes!"

The blue cat smiled. "Thanks, Rarukur. You've been a good messenger. Now I'll need to discuss our next moves with the other officers. At ease, soldier."

"Of course, sir." The slightly thinner grey cat laguz bowed and scampered off.

With a sigh, Ranulf looked at the sky. To think that, at any moment, a seemingly peaceful scene: white clouds drifting along in a deep blue sky, would quickly be filled with the screams of hawks and ravens, and blood would begin to fall from high above. To think that, long ago, East Gallia was a lush, thriving wood and jungle that covered land further than one could fathom, yet now it hardly resembled a series of trees. Few trees were still alive after the Confederate advance, and it looked like Gallia, which had just pried itself out of a hellish civil war, would be nothing but a land of scars.

Despite the smile he always tried to keep on his face, Ranulf was not pleased, not at all. But even though he would try to mask his pained emotions and rally his comrades, he knew that Lethe would not have the same attitude, not by a long shot.

And as Ranulf trudged slowly towards the largest of the Gallian Royal Army's encampment, he spotted her standing on a podium, with her famous fiery glance.

"Do these... These _beorc_..." She spat out the name like it was some kind of fatal disease. "Do they truly think that they can just flee back to their homes after what they've done to ours? Pah! Nonsense! An eye must be repaid with an eye, and a detached fang for another. It's only _just_ and _fair_ for judgment to be so. We laguz cannot allow _them_ to leave our lands safe and sound. Tell me, brothers and sisters, how many of our siblings did they butcher? How much of our lush forests have they burned to the ground? How long will it take for Gallia's gaping wounds to heal? We must strike those pigs and slaughter them all, as is proper!" And with Lethe's growl the entire army cheered.

Lyre crinkled her nose. No doubt Lethe's words held true for their people, and, yet, instead of being struck by that vibrant fervor, she was worried. Muarim, Tormod, they were friends who lived deep in Begnion, no? What could possibly have happened to them? The young cat sighed. She was especially worried about that green tiger. Though he was strong, she had seen firsthand the deaths of many of her tiger brothers at the hands of the Begnion Confederate Army. How could she be so sure that one particular green tiger was strong enough to evade death for this long?

Lethe turned her eyes to Lyre, and noted her concerned expression. "Lyre!" She called, startling her younger sister. "What's with that face? Do you truly think that the Begnion Army will get the upper hand as it did before? Why, you'd be sorely mistaken if that's what you're thinking! We laguz learn from our errors, and we will not let them rape Gallia again!"

"N... No... I... I am simply worried on behalf of faraway friends..." Lyre muttered.

Upon hearing that, Lethe burst into a laugh, startling all her fellow beast laguz.

"Look at that! She upholds such generosity to the bitter end, worrying for friends for whom we can do nothing. My, my, little sister... If you continue to wrongfully direct your concerns, I fear that you'll get distracted enough to get killed." Lethe sighed.

At that Lyre hissed. "While you get so fired up that your blood boils and you finally die from your blood vessels bursting, yes? There are times to raise one's valor, and there are times to calm down and show concern for others, Lethe. You tend to raise a fervor out of almost everything, and I don't think your heart appreciates it."

Lethe glared at Lyre with a mixed look of anger and pity. "Hah!" She finally let out a laugh. "At times like these, when we laguz must rally our valor in order to survive, she chooses to be docile and worry for others _when the friends at her side are getting killed._ Yes, very far-sighted you are, Lyre. We should all learn from you and daydream about things beyond our grasp than worry for the sword heading straight for our throats."

But before the sisters could bicker any further, Ranulf came running in.

"Now, now, everyone. There is no need to repeat that cursed war between siblings. Rarukur has reported to me that our forward scouts have spotted the last Confederate stronghold here, and if we take it down then the enemy will finally be driven out of the province! We may force all of them out of our home yet!"

Lethe and Lyre stopped their bickering for a moment to share a unanimous laugh of joy. "Well, then. It's time for us to turn the tables on those fools. Now we are the predators, as we should be, and they are the prey that must be driven away." Lethe smirked.

And, like those rare unified feelings those sisters shared, Lyre smirked too. "Yes... For too long they've trashed our beloved home. Now they can finally feel the claws we siblings share, and I'm sure that'll convince them to never desecrate our beloved Gallia!"

* * *

The three childhood friends sat in a small circle as Prince Skimir of Gallia strolled into their tent.

"Lord Skimir." Ranulf bowed. Lethe and Lyre obviously followed suit.

Skimir laughed. "So I hear that we've finally spotted where those rats are hiding."

"And we shall eat them, sir. You need not worry about that." Lethe added with a smile.

Ranulf and Lyre glanced at each other from behind Lethe's back. Each shared the same worried look. Would Lethe literally bite off more than she could chew? Or, more accurately, would she try to bite through the hard metal of a Begnion commander's armor and get her head lopped off by a mighty laguz axe as a consequence?

Skimir guffawed. "Excellent, General Lethe. I see that your vigor hasn't waned in the least. What about you, Ranulf, and you, Commander? Does her colleague and her little sister feel the same?"

Lyre blinked. Since when did Skimir get fond of such high-sounding speech?

"Erm... Yes, sir... But we should make our plans for striking the enemy instead of discussing our valor. After all, words are just words. It's deeds on the battlefield that really say something." Ranulf replied.

"Ahaha... Well said. Alright, then. How will we strike?" Skimir's laugh echoed throughout the camp.

Lyre blinked again. The Prince had to be drunk. There was no other possible explanation.

Ranulf and Lethe had caught on by now, but if they were to say anything Skimir might actually crack their skulls in a fit of rage. So, rather than risk their skins, they decided to play along.

"Based on what our hawk friends have spotted, the base is defended by mostly archers and armored knights. Their calvary has either fled the area or is attempting to ambush us from some unknown point... But the latter tactic would be difficult to pull off if none of the trees (or what's left of them) are able to provide them with cover for an ambush... So I believe that we should call off our hawk support for now and simply order our cat brothers to lure enemy soldiers out of the fort. Because our hides give us some camouflage even in destroyed forest terrain, we'll be able to have tigers assault the enemy as they chase after the cats, and with the enemy thus stunned our soldiers will storm the fortress." Ranulf spoke proudly.

"Wait... Are you kidding?" Lyre stared at Ranulf with her eyes bulged.

"What?" Ranulf glanced at Lyre with a grin.

"What makes you so sure that the Begnion Confederate Army is so pathetically stupid that it would fall for such a simple ploy?" Lyre crossed her arms.

Lethe smiled at her sister's skepticism. She was becoming more prudent, and that was a rare trait for laguz. After seeing how her beorc comrades fought, Lethe knew that it was a trait that should be valued within the Gallian army, so she didn't say anything and only waited for Ranulf's response.

"Um... Er..."

Or lack of one.

Skimir glanced at Ranulf in surprise. "General, are you going to explain your strategy to the Commander?"

Lethe looked at him with surprise as well. "Ranulf? Is something wrong?"

"Er..." Ranulf smiled embarrassingly.

"Or have you not thought this through?" Lethe's eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Er..."

"You're so easy to read." Lethe sighed. "Very well. Lord Skimir, we may need a few more hours to come up with a suitable plan. It's obvious that the enemy position is not so easy to breech, as they will be quite willing to defend that last stronghold 'till the last breath. For them, retreat is hardly an option. However, use our hawk air support to continue patrolling the mountains, and thus have them cut off any reinforcements that might be trying to aid the enemy fort. Sooner or later we will be able to strike the fort and those hawks can return to base with ease."

Skimir nodded. "Then I'll let you handle the situation, General Lethe." And with that he walked out of the tent.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Soren asked for the twentieth time as Lucia strolled towards the war room.

"Soren, I Will Be Fine. You don't have to worry about me, ok?" Lucia sighed.

"You just got out of the infirmary... Of course I'd be worried." Soren rolled his eyes.

Lucia's eyes narrowed. "Why did you just do that?

"Do what?"

"Roll your eyes... I'm not annoying you, am I?"

"Well... Perhaps you do annoy me at times. This is one of them."

Lucia hissed. "You..."

"I what?"

The two of them started to glare at each other, but a voice suddenly surprised both of them.

"_'Tis a dream, my sweet Suzana...._

_'Tis a dream, dear Roxane..._

_To be spending such time with you..._

_Oh how happy I am!_

_Yet, there's only one woman in my heart..._

_With hair blue as sapphire..._

_And with eyes that sparkle..._

_In the endless night._

_Oh, yes, I love only her!_

_I love the great Lucia!_

_And no matter what entails..._

_She will soon be mine!"_

Lucia froze in her tracks as her jaw hit the ground.

Soren's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

Yet Bastian kept on singing.

"Erm, Soren?" Lucia began.

"Hmn?"

"Could you, um, put him out of his misery?"

"Sure..." Soren nodded as he took out his Thoron tome. "I hope I don't wreck any innocent pieces of furniture..." He mumbled as he sneaked into the room Bastian occupied.

* * *

1. I had the impression that Lekain was in his early fifties, only that his hair hadn't turned white, yet. Alviss is in his mid thirties, which would be the appropriate age for a "young" senator. Being rather dedicated to his position would mean that Alviss wouldn't spend much time to sit down and keep himself full, which would make him thinner. No, I do not intend to offend any of my readers, and I'm terribly sorry if I just did, but I do intend to offend Lekain as much as possible... That slimeball...

2. Yes. I regret creating the concept of Bartholemu in the first place, for after reading about him I realized how incredibly boring his character is. Thus, to uphold the trope of "Anyone Can Die" in war, I killed him. R.I.P. Others can help fulfill the role that he could have played for Apostle Sanaki. I will let you learn who those personas shall be.


	9. Friends From Afar

Chapter 9: Friends From Afar

Jill crossed her arms as Soren simply strolled into the infirmary and plopped an unconscious Bastian on one of the beds, then walked out as if nothing had happened. Turning her head, she noted Rhys and Mist diligently caring for their wounded soldiers.

The wyvern knight shrugged. She was here to keep both 'physicians' company, and to guard the area. After all, Soren sternly reminded everyone that the risk of Confederate Assassins were too high to let any room be left unguarded.

"You know?" Jill spoke in Mist's general direction.

"Hmn?" Mist seemed interested in what her friend had to say, though she was too busy to look in Jill's direction.

"Why is it that the majority of us have this urge to strangle both our Wind Sages? Honestly... Soren can be so ridiculously rude at times, and Bastian's just clinically insane. They are dependable allies, especially Soren, but there are times when I really want to grab either of them by the neck and choke them until they start being normal for once."

Rhys shuddered. "Such behavior is far too violent, Jill."

Jill smiled. "Rhys, don't tell me that your patience hasn't been worn thin by either of them."

"Well... Yes, they can be vexing, but it's not right to use physical violence to solve problems... If you are frustrated, you should tell them." Rhys spoke seriously.

Jill laughed. "You know that neither would listen."

"Hasn't Soren been a little better? I mean, Lucia has been trying to get him to be friendlier." Mist inquired with a smile as she turned her head.

"Oh, well, he doesn't fire words like some nasty Elwind spell, that's for sure. It's more subdued, and a lot less cutting, but you can still sense that he's very, very ticked at the majority of us for hardly any understandable reason. I dunno, perhaps he has a perpetually bad day? Either way I hope that it works out between those two. He could really use Lucia's calm maturity, you know? The guy's just too damn tense." Jill sighed.

Mist smiled wider. So she wasn't the only one who cared about that sullen mage after all. (1.)

* * *

A short lance whizzed through the air...

And grazed Kyza on the shoulder.

The tiger growled angrily as his eyes scanned the area. Where did that attack come from? According to their hawk comrades, there should not be any troops hiding in the remains of these woods.

He heard a scuffling from his left, about ninety degrees from whence the spear came, and something in his mind, perhaps his instincts, told him to strike. He pounced towards that noise and, viola! His paws struck a Begnion halberdier in the face. With a roar and a few slams to the head with his giant paws, the enemy soldier's neck snapped and Kyza's foe was still.

The tiger shook his head. It took two hours for Ranulf, Lethe, and Lyre to finally emerge from the war tent, and after they informed Skimir of their assault plan the entire army moved out. However, Kyza, despite holding the rank of Lieutenant, did not receive a single word of the plan. Despite the fact that an entire platoon depended on his leadership, he didn't know how to proceed.

As one might expect, a sudden assault by several armored knights startled him and his men, and within moments they were separated, every laguz fighting to keep him or herself alive. About forty five minutes had passed since he lost contact with his troops, and Kyza had no idea where he was in the big scheme of the battle.

Little did he know that, for the most part, things were going according to plan.

Since the archers had bows and a newer type of projectile weapon known as a "crossbow," Ranulf and Janaff agreed that the hawks should not be forced to commit suicide while hurling themselves at these adversaries. Instead, they would try to lure the enemy out of the fort.

But, as Lyre pointed out, the enemy wasn't stupid. If they spotted laguz troops swiftly darting to and fro, they could easily deduce that the Gallian army was trying to lure them, and they wouldn't move out accordingly. That was why Lethe insisted that the hawks guard the mountain passageways and any other trails that lead to the fortress.

If they forced their enemy to waste their supplies, and placed an encampment not far from the enemy's gates, the desperate Confederate forces might very well try to make a swift dash to seize the camp and take whatever they could find. Quite logically they would also try to rush out of the fort's east gate to reach the mountains and cross them into Begnion, and thus the hawks would be able to dive down and take them out.

Of course, both of these strategies depended on how many supplies the enemy had and how desperate they were, which the Gallian Royal Army had no ability to deduce due to lack of intel.

But, thankfully, the Confederate army wasn't exactly the most efficient army ever constructed. Lucia, for one, would be appalled to read their storehouse records, let alone Soren.

* * *

"_What did you say?!" Zeffren howled when a mere Lieutenant handed him their equipment manager's report._

"_Yes, sir. We only have enough rations for four days. Once they're gone, the soldiers will likely mutiny."_

"_Why hasn't the convoy arrived yet?" The Colonel growled. His mount was having stomach issues and thus was forced to stay in a stable, and he wondered if he should start feeding it incompetent subordinates rather than the meat that it shared with the troops._

"_Um, sir, you have noticed those large brown blobs in the sky out of firing range, right? Those are our foe's hawk air support, and let's just say that they make short work of unwary reinforcements." The Lieutenant sighed._

"_You! Why is it that every single subordinate in this army is a smart aleck or one who rouses up trouble? Obey my orders, damn it! Send some troops out to drive those birds out of here!... And go raid the enemy's positions for some supplies while you're at it."_

"_As you wish..."_

* * *

Both sister's jaws hit the ground at precisely the same time.

"I think our brothers have just been insulted... For the commander of the last enemy stronghold to be _this_ idiotic... I can only hope that Kyza can keep his head up high once he realizes how incompetent his attackers were..." Lyre mumbled.

Lethe sneered. "Yet vengeance on their sorry hides will be that much easier... If this commander was one of the worthy ones who cut down many of our brothers, he would far more worthy of our claws, of course, but he'd also be difficult to kill."

And with that said, Zeffren found his men collapsing left and right.

"What's going on? Don't tell me... The enemy has been expecting us all along? Get out of here, men! Brave those hawk's talons and head for our homeland! There is nothing left for us here!" Zeffren yelled over the sound of his men's screams.

* * *

But, to his relief, as Zeffren and whatever soldiers he had left fled for the mountains, he found dozens of pegasus and wyvern knights swooping in from the east and engaging the Phoenicis hawks. In moments, several armored knights and snipers were dropped among his scattered ranks. One sniper immediately addressed him.

"Sir, I am here to inform you that reinforcements are coming. Lord Valtome has informed me that your orders are to hold the fortress at all costs. The Confederacy cannot fail to keep this land in our hands."

Zeffren smiled. "Very well, then. These sub-humans shall pay for what they have done!"

* * *

Ranulf and the dismounted wyvern knight stood face to face.

"So I guess you're the commander here." Ranulf sneered. From behind Zeffren, he spotted the transformed Lyre and Lethe leaping at an enemy armored knight from either side, and the startled knight could hardly react in time as Lethe and Lyre's jaws bit down on both sides of his neck.

"That I am, and who might you be, sub-scum?"

"I am General Ranulf, the Gallian warrior who will get rid of you. Now, shall we begin?"

"Hah! I, Colonel Zeffren, have hacked the skulls of many sub humans like yourself. If anything, I'll be getting rid of you. Come, come! Show me how sharp your claws are, and I'll help you tear them off!"

* * *

Lethe cursed as she slammed her claws into the face of an enemy sniper. "We ran out of time... Lyre! Be careful! If you die I will spit on your grave for being so unworthy of our clan!"

Lyre groaned. After having lived through thirty years of such bickering, she knew that such words were merely Lethe's harsh way of saying that she cared for her younger sister and could not cope with her death. But it was no doubt irritating as hell. (2.)

"And if you die I'll consider myself an only child." The younger cat groaned as she clawed away at a squad of charging halberdiers.

"How dare you speak thus? I'm your sister, for Ashera's sake! You ought to treat me with respect! How dare you disown me for doing my warrior's duty?!" Lethe growled.

"Same here! Why would you spit on my grave if I fought my best as a warrior of Gallia and died for my country?! Is that not the mark of a warrior's devotion: to be more than willing to die for her homeland?!" Lyre yelled back.

Since they were arguing in the snarls and howls of the Gallian native tongue, the Begnion soldiers they were fighting, who were so used to the common tongue, had no idea what they were saying.

"You are also a daughter of Gallia as well as a warrior! Your duty is to spend your strength in Gallia's service, and eventually, once you're older and wiser, find a mate with whom you feel intimate and bear cubs who you will train in the Gallian way! If you die in battle, how will you fulfill your latter duty?!" Lethe hissed.

"Here you are talking about cubs when Gallia is in ruins and our people must fight to the bitter end in order to keep our motherland alive! Have you ever understood the concept of priorities, Lethe?! At any rate your death would counter your latter duty as well, and if that was the case I should disown you." Lyre spoke with a smirk, hoping that Lethe could sense her sarcasm.

"You twist my words against me! I see where this is going... So you don't res..."

"Lethe! Snap out of it! The important thing is that I'd never be able to live with myself if I let you die, and I'm the one with the lower rank and lesser experience! I'm sure you feel the same way, so let's spend our energies on slaughtering these bastards who destroyed our nation instead of arguing!" Lyre roared.

At that point Lethe's eyes widened, and for a moment the sister's eyes met, with Lethe giving Lyre a light nod before turning her face away and pouncing on an enemy mounted knight.

Lyre smiled behind Lethe's back. She finally got her sister to shut up for once.

* * *

The skies turned cloudy, and soon his vision was covered in red.

"So that's all I was capable of..." Zeffren gasped as the pain finally began to fade. He'd never feel anything else again.

Ranulf slowly licked himself clean. In spite of all that talk, the enemy commander was now dead in less than five minutes, and yet the blue cat somehow couldn't find the heart to laugh. Too many of his siblings were dead, so many that even the enemy's most pathetic tactical blunders couldn't really be thought of as "comical," rather, they'd merely be insults to the dead.

* * *

Skimir charged through the ever advancing tide of Begnion armored knights. Because the hawks hadn't anticipated such a huge wave of reinforcements, they were quickly outnumbered by the enemy air support. Of course, this allowed for many Begnion soldier drops, and thus both laguz ground and air forces found themselves gradually getting overrun.

Scores of hawks flew from the west, but even their swift forms were not fast enough to counter the horde. Many more beast laguz pounced from the bushes, and yet they still found themselves quickly surrounded by red armor and sharp blades.

That was why, more than ever, Gallia's people depended on the fatal paws of its prince, and Skimir was more than happy to crack some skulls with the sheer force of their blows.

With an arrogant audacity that the proud soldiers of Begnion all eventually wielded in their careers, an enemy armored general, sporting a huge axe, came lumbering towards the lion.

Skimir smirked as the enemy warrior threw the axe at him.

The silver axe stretched as far as it could on its chain, but finally crashed against the ground.

The axe general blinked. He could have sworn that the lion was right there in front of him.

And, seconds later, he felt a searing pain on his ears. His head felt like it was being split open, and then everything went black.

And Skimir crushed the head of his first victim. (3.)

The various Begnion halberdiers distributed among the enemy ranks had their jaws drop as they watched Skimir crush that helmet with ease. Skimir's sheer strength was godly compared to their simple, generic hides.

But even his godly strength was unnecessary for getting rid of them.

Between them, the sisters counted nearly sixty kills as the Begnion army tried, and failed, to secure their fortress. With more and more Gallians rushing to the aid of Ranulf and Skimir, the Begnion land troops found themselves separated from the fortress itself. As more hawks came to tilt the chaos in the skies to Phoenicis's favor, the Confederate forces found their efforts to hold their position nearly null and void.

With an angry roar Kyza plunged himself into the fray. Having finally spotted fellow Gallians engaging multiple Begnion soldiers, he took it as a sign that the enemy had outwitted his superiors and that this was a fight for the very survival of his nation.

He angrily swiped his paw at the face of many a Begnion soldier, and thus many beorc began to howl from broken jaws and cracked necks.

Finally, when Senator Valtome approached the fortress, his arms wrapped tightly around a young Begnion falcon knight, he witnessed his army getting slaughtered by the hundreds as sub-humans and humans continued to strike each other in the melee. With a sigh, he whispered in the girl's ear: "It's pointless to help them. Lillia, have the rest of our squadron withdraw."

The girl nodded and quickly began to bark orders at the other young ladies that made up this pegasus squadron. As they began to turn around, Valtome shouted: "All aerial units, if you can hear me, then hurry and fall back! There's no point staying around and fighting when we've clearly lost. The rest of you land forces, hold the enemy off so that we can escape. Once you've done that then you'll all be given medals of honor if you make it back to Sienne!" And with that, Valtome left the scene.

Not surprisingly, quite a few platoons of wyvern and pegasus knights, who were sick of risking their lives engaging the hawks, swiftly followed him, knowing that they were abandoning their land-based friends to certain death.

And the land troops of the Confederacy immediately felt their hearts sink. So this was how the Senate repaid them for their efforts... By leaving them to die in their darkest hour.

* * *

And yet the scattered warriors fought on.

What else could they do? Those sub-humans would never let them rest...

But something drastic happened.

Something that touched their hearts and would change their lives for the better.

* * *

"Hey... Ranulf..." Janaff muttered as he retracted his talons and hovered low, close to the blue cat.

"What is it?" Ranulf hissed softly back in the common tongue.

"I think... No, that _is_ Tanith! And Sigrun! And several other people! They're heading this way!" Janaff let out a gasp in surprise.

Ranulf's eyes widened. "All units, pull back. Cease your fire!" He ordered in the common tongue. Skimir, noting his surprise, decided not to say anything and ceased his bloodlust for a moment.

The Confederate troops, not quite comprehending what Ranulf had said, noted the sub-humans pulling back. Among them, a paladin yelled. "Comrades, since there are so few of us, if _they_ wish to cease fire, then we should as well. Get into the porcupine and tortoise formations, now!"

As if on cue, the surviving Begnion infantry troops began to clump up together into little round blobs full of men, with their spears and swords outstretched, much like a porcupine, while the armored divisions huddled together in ovals, with their shields outstretched, just like tortoises hiding under the cover of their shells.

Above all of them, the sound of beating pegasus wings filled the air, and soon Tanith, Sigrun, and the rest of the Holy Guard descended on the patches of land that were vacant after both Gallian and Confederate forces entered their respective defensive formations. Zelgius personally dismounted from the saddle of another falcon knight, while the rest of the proud warriors of the Begnion Imperial Army left their transport steeds and snapped into attention.

"Commanding officers of the Gallian/Phoenician and Confederate armies, this is Apostle Sanaki of the Begnion Empire. I ask that you hear me out..."

Ranulf, Skimir, and Janaff exchanged glances, and the three of them decided to appear before the exiled ruler. Tanith gave Ranulf and Janaff a respectful nod each, as she recognized both of them from the Mad King's War, and they did the same. Old comrades they were, and hopefully they'd stay that way.

The Confederate soldiers stared at each other. Zeffren was dead, and Valtome abandoned them, and so only their most experienced promoted units, though practically anonymous in their own right, decided to step forward to answer Sanaki's call.

"As you know, too many people have died from this war... The nation of Gallia has been forced to experience another genocide more devastating than the Civil War less than half a year ago, and, Confederate soldiers, you cannot deny that our beloved Begnion has undergone some of the most drastic and, in countless ways, painful changes in our history. With so many dead and so many more wounded, what victories have any side gained from this war?

"This pointless fighting between us must come to a close. No matter what, we are all fellow living beings. Regardless if we are Laguz or Beorc, we each have that same dream: to live peacefully with our families and friends and spend our lives the way we wish. To have us slaughter each other so ruthlessly for little more than land or political fame is far too idiotic, no? I ask that you lay down your arms and allow for some form of reason to prevail..."

The Paladin who called upon his comrades to fall back, and other promoted troops of the Confederate army turned to one another. It truly was pointless to continue fighting, and Valtome had abandoned them to die, at any rate. They turned to the Apostle, knowing that, despite her incompetence as a leader, she still cared for her people. Bowing their heads, they decided to surrender to her rather than face Lekain's wrath.

"Apostle Sanaki, we are Confederate soldiers no more... We trust that you'll be able to reason with these.... These.... These _laguz_ and find a way to end the bloodshed." The paladin nodded along with the rest of his allies. Though sub-humans couldn't be easily trusted, Sanaki's words could not be denied. After all, Gallia wasn't the nation who attacked the Confederacy. 'Twas the other way around.

Sanaki smiled. "Then I hope you won't regret what I plan to do next." And with that Sanaki stepped towards Ranulf, who, a bit caught off guard, quickly shifted back to his more beorc-like form.

"Sir Ranulf of Gallia, General Tanith and the rest of the knights of her squadron have mentioned your prowess and courage, among other virtues, and thus I ask that you accept my terms...."

Lifting and turning her head a little, she added: "The same goes with you, Sir Janaff. Could you come a bit closer, please? I am too, shall we say, vertically challenged to give you a proper greeting if you continue to hover over the ground." She gave both a light smile.

Janaff shifted back to his human form as well and shrugged his shoulders as he landed on the ground. He knew that Sanaki wasn't the type to do anything treacherous, after all.

As she shook hands with both commanders, she gave a slight bow. "These are dark days for Tellius... With the Confederate warmongers assaulting the nations that remain free from its grasp without fail, those armies who wish to remain independent or who disagree with Lekain's policies must band together if we are to survive. I only wish that His Majesty Tibarn and His Majesty Caineghis were here... But since you are commanders in this army, I would like to propose an alliance between the Begnion Imperial Army and your forces until I can notify your respective lords..."

At that moment, Skimir stepped forward. "Beorc Empress, I know that my uncle isn't here to accept your treaty, but I will instead. If your beorc soldiers are willing to raise their blades against the Confederacy while never turning them upon a hawk or a Gallian, then we Gallians, for one, shall raise our claws by your side."

Sanaki smiled at that. "Thank you, Prince Skimir."

Without warning, they heard the cry of an eagle as a huge hawk descended upon them. The hawk shifted back to human form to reveal Tibarn himself.

As Janaff, Ranulf, and Skimir stared in shock, Tibarn quickly greeted them with an explanation.

"Ulki was close enough to hear everything. Sanaki, I'm glad to see that you are alive and well. To be honest I thought that something must have happened to you, otherwise the Confederate Army couldn't possibly hold this much control over Begnion's forces... It's a sad sight for me to see so few Begnion soldiers within the Imperial Army... And though those who fought against us today have pledged allegiance to you, I'm worried that your army won't be enough to convince the Begnion people as it stands... But rest assured that as long as the Imperial Army continues the policy of friendship with Phoenicis and Gallia, well, we Phoenicis Hawks will never betray our comrades!" Tibarn smiled.

Sanaki beamed. "I thought that I would come here, scorned by the Gallian army for what my people have been forced to do... But to find such overwhelming acceptance warms my heart. Rest assured, even in death I will make certain that the Imperial soldiers with me shall never betray their laguz friends. We fought together to bring down Ashnard, and in the same token we shall unite to destroy Lekain!"

* * *

The Gallian army rested that day with the Begnion Imperial Army by their side. With more Phoenicis and Gallian reinforcements arriving by the hour, all critical positions in the eastern forest were fully secured. Many Gallians may have died, but their deaths were hardly in vain.

After ensuring that her troops were prepared and confident, Tanith decided to speak to Ranulf in private.

"Sir Ranulf!"

"Ah, Tanith... Yeah, we didn't have much of a chance to talk a few years back, right?"

"No, unfortunately... However, this may seem rather selfish, but I've come to you to ask a question..."

Ranulf raised an eyebrow. Most questions weren't asked out of selfishness per-say, but then again Tanith was a very serious and disciplined person with a much stricter sense of morals than him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Do you... Ahem..." Tanith began to look a little flustered. "Do you happen to know whatever happened to General Ike?"

Ranulf studied her eyes, but the normally stoic and serious warrior refused to meet his gaze.

He chuckled. "I see. Unfortunately, no. But I'm sure that with the Confederacy's defeat, Gallia and Crimea will regain contact soon enough, and you can look for him then."

"Very well. I am sorry for bothering you. I had merely assumed that you..." And Ranulf waved his hand as Tanith tried to explain herself.

"Don't worry about it. I understand. Knowing him, Ike'll be fine." The blue cat smiled as he started looking around for Lethe.

* * *

1. No, this is not some badly done parody of some generic harem anime. Soren and Lucia will be the only couple that blunt mage will be involved in. However, there's a theory among many of the fans who's works I've read (or whom I've contacted) that Mist might have had feelings for Soren once, but Soren was too sullen and stern to acknowledge them, and thus they faded away with time.

In this fic Mist cares for Soren a little because he's such a vital part of their 'family,' and he's Ike's best friend, and also, vaguely, because she did like him once, but her heart lies with another, whom I will reveal eventually. :P

And I'm explaining myself in case I wasn't clear, that's all.

2. I hear that according to Intelligent Systems canon beast laguz have a lifespan 5 times that of a beorc. However, that would make them insanely old. Since this is not a novelization of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, I like to bend the supposed game canon. Thus, Lyre is merely thirty. I ask that you not hate me for that age choice.

Oh, and by the way, if you think that Lethe's acting a bit too ticked lately, well, having your country nearly burned to the ground by those with whom you've been on uneasy terms with at best would do that to ya, especially if you're a diehard patriot like Lethe. She'll calm down once the Confederacy takes enough casualties from her claws.

3. Sorry, any more details and this won't be a "T" rating. The "Axe on a chain" getup is from the Fire Emblem games 6 though 8, where the General class of unit (promoted armor unit) used axes on chains to pummel foes to death.


	10. For Want of Rest

Chapter 10: For Want of Rest

Despite the fact that many pairs of eyes glared at each other from either side of The Great Bridge, in the end no army dared invade Crimea or Daein, so peace settled on both sides.

Rolf shivered as a chilly wind from the east filled his quarters. He didn't really have much of a chance to talk; the battlefield was simply too chaotic for any words to be exchanged safely. All he did was follow Shinon's footsteps and act as a useful sniper who provided his comrades with supporting fire. Now, he simply waited for Ike's next order.

The young boy sighed. He was used to the heat of battle. Yet, somehow, with everyone else being at least four years older or so, he felt as though there were few people he could actually confide in.

Tauroneo was like a second Greil. He tried to inspire his younger comrades, and got along quite well with Rolf, but, like Greil, the former Steadfast Rider spent much of his time planning strategies with the other veteran advisors. Rolf hardly had a chance to spot Soren, or Lucia, or Titania, since they'd always be in the war room along with Tauroneo, making a plan for their next assault.

Mia was too busy training, and now, with Zihark in their ranks, she dueled him often, so she wasn't someone he could chat with easily. Rhys was either with Mia, or in the infirmary caring for the wounded, so he was out of the question too.

Marcia had apparently been sent to supply duty, seeing as that she was the most experienced of Crimea's Pegasus Knights. Sooner or later, she'd be back with the rest of 'em, but for now Rolf really had no one to talk to...

The young boy sighed. As for Mist, well... She'd been ignoring him lately...

* * *

Mist leaned against the firm and large cushion of a couch. This border post had quite a few lounges for a military base, but who was she to complain? She sighed as she stared into a fireplace gleaming in front of her. She was the only person resting in this particular lounge and, hopefully, it would stay that way for another few hours.

After all, she really needed to think.

Despite the fact that she'd been a Greil Mercenary since the band's conception, despite the fact that she'd healed so many of her friend's wounds during combat, she somehow was always set aside. Whenever there was a task that needed to be done, Ike seemed to deliberately assign anyone else but her to see it through.

Then again, he seemed to do the same to Rolf, even though Rolf could actually effectively hold his own in ranged combat, unlike her.

Despite the fact that she was practically a mounted swordsman, Mist found her strength appallingly meek compared to those trained enemy troops. Why was that? Mia wasn't that much older than her, but even she could easily hold her own. Why was Mist so helpless, even now? Why couldn't she, despite being a decent healer, be of genuine use to her brother and friends?

It was depressing, really, to know that despite your own strength, you lacked the power to help those you cared about in times like these...

* * *

Rolf got up. The wind was really bothering him, and each frosty gale merely helped depress him further. He needed to find someone to talk to, or he'd go mad.

As he emerged from his quarters, he found the halls mostly empty. There were a few Crimean Halberdiers marching about here and there, alert and prepared in case of an assassin breaking in, but otherwise there weren't many people he recognized around.

He sprinted and shivered, and his eyes darted about. There had to be a fireplace nearby... With a frantic dive, he shoved through a door, and felt the soothing heat that could only come from a strong flame.

He closed the door behind him, and as he stepped forward he found Mist on a couch, staring intently at the fire.

He looked around. It was one of about twelve lounges that the border fortress had. That might be an explanation why the Crimean army was routed when Daein troops burst through the border three years back: They were too busy relaxing on their sofas to spot the coming storm.

Mist didn't seem to notice him despite his wandering eyes. She must have been deep in a pensive, and Rolf gave a small sigh as he sat down next to her.

"R-Rolf?" Mist was startled at the sudden shift in weight on the sofa, and, turning her head, she spotted the younger boy.

"Mist." Rolf gave her a small smile as he decided to lean against the cushion and relax.

"Um..." Mist shifted her gaze away from him. She seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"Are you ok? You don't look so good... Are you feeling well?"

"I... Uh... Rolf... It's nothing..." Mist shook her head. It would be quite rude just to ask him to leave. He didn't do anything wrong, after all.

* * *

"Jill! Colonel Jill of Daein's 1st Loyal Regiment!" Kieran yelled as he ran about, startling anyone who happened to be calmly resting in their quarters.

"What is it, Kieran?" Jill yawned as she poked her head out of the doorway to her room.

"Ah, Jill. Yes, General Geoffrey and the other commanders require your presence in the war room." Kieran saluted his comrade.

"Wha-? Could you tell them to wait for some time? I need to change..."

"Lady Jill, please hurry. As an honorable knight of Daein it is your duty to..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll get right on to it." Jill sighed as she slammed the door in his face.

* * *

Tauroneo, Geoffrey, Soren, Titania, and Lucia sat attentively in the fortress's war room.

The heavily mustached General pointed at a battle position, and after several minutes finally stopped his long-winded explanation of their foe's troop movements. As a Daein commander, he had some insider information on what the Confederate forces were up to, and such information was quite precious to Geoffrey indeed.

But after hearing Tauroneo's report, Geoffrey sprang up from his seat and began to frantically point at the battle map.

The Crimean commander began to stammer. "With all due respects, General Tauroneo, if what you're saying is true, then the Confederate army seems to have little trust in its Daein allies. Why would that be? By all rights they should let those who are familiar with the terrain be in charge of their supply train and forward posts... Soldiers who hardly know where they even are will make very poor messengers, assault troops, and supply guards."

Tauroneo shook his head. "It's appalling, I know, but Izuka and Lekain have forged an alliance merely because their ambitions haven't crossed each other yet. In their eyes, if Gallia and Crimea fall, they will be able to utilize millions of souls for their own personal bidding... By staying allied, they can conquer whatever they wish a lot easier... Fortunately, though, even if they know that there's strength in numbers, they still don't trust each other at all. We can use that to our advantage."

At that moment, Jill kicked the door open. "Oh... Sorry..." She muttered nonchalantly as she noticed the cracks and splinters she made. "Generals, you called?"

Tauroneo chuckled. "I was just about to yell out for you, Jill. Come and sit." He patted the chair next to him.

Jill blinked, a little confused as to what was going on, but she obeyed just the same.

"Jill, since you are the commander of our Wyvern wing, what have you heard from the troops?" The Daein warrior asked.

She nodded. "Well, morale is decent. They're pretty optimistic, having heard of Ike's strength and his reputation. Since you're with us, General Geoffrey, the soldiers I've talked with seem reluctant but are still willing to fight; with you as an ally they know that they have capable hands fighting alongside them... It's tough, knowing that we'll be attacking Daeins as well, but they all agree that the Loyalist cause is a just one, one worth dying for, and thus I have little reason to believe that they'll betray us when we need them most."

Geoffrey nodded. "And with Daein's finest wyvern riders in our ranks, we'll be able to ambush enemy positions with ease... But, honestly, is it wise for us to strike when the territory we'll gain is very difficult to defend? I think we'd be moving from an advantageous position to a disadvantageous one. What you've discovered is excellent news for us, General Tauroneo, but I think we should allow ourselves to resupply and gather reinforcements before heading forward."

At this Titania spoke up. "If that is what you're planning, General Geoffrey, then I'm glad Ike isn't here. He'd be too eager to attack the enemy, especially with their tactical blunders that Sir Tauroneo has pointed out... After all, a good offense is a great defense, as long as the risks you'll be taking by carrying out such an attack aren't so grave. Compromising our current position is a setback we cannot afford to undergo."

Soren crossed his arms, and Lucia simply placed her hands expectantly on the table.

"Soren? Lucia? What do you think?" Geoffrey asked.

"Titania, don't you think you're being a bit harsh on Ike? Yes, he might be a bit hotheaded at times, but he's not Boyd, not by a long shot." Soren spoke with concern.

"Don't compare people with those who have less abilities in a particular field, Soren. When you want someone to improve, you judge him based on those who are better than him in a particular skill or talent that needs to be improved. Ike is our commanding officer. For him to stoop to Boyd's level of patience and calm would be disastrous for us all." Titania replied with a smile.

Soren nodded. "You have a point. If Ike had Boyd's cheerfulness the troops would be that much more motivated to fight for him. Now they stand by him for duty and honor's sake, not for true camaraderie." (1.)

"Exactly." Titania smiled.

"Anyway... Geoffrey, your judgment is sound. We can't afford to lose this position at this time. Furthermore, we haven't heard from Gallia or Phoenicis at all. To assist them now would ensure our survival and improve our ties with both nations. If you don't mind, General Tauroneo, I'd like you to watch this position. We'll be sending you fresh troops and supplies every four days. Keep in mind, though, that we can't send you too many, as firstly you'll probably not be attacked often and, secondly, we need soldiers in case Gallia is still being invaded." Lucia spoke up.

"Ok then, Sis... Sir Tauroneo, I leave the task of defending this post to you." Geoffrey nodded.

Titania glanced at Jill, and turned to Geoffrey. "General, may I stay here as well? I fear that our soldiers may be, well, uneasy fighting alongside those who were our enemies. Even if Jill and Zihark and Tauroneo are here, there may be misgivings among the soldiers. We need a Crimean commanding officer to keep them in line, since Crimean soldiers might be reluctant to follow a Daein commander's orders."

"If anyone would keep the peace, Titania would be the best choice. I, for one, think that it's an excellent idea." Soren spoke before Geoffrey could answer.

Geoffrey blinked. Soren seemed to be in a rather talkative mood. "Very well, I accept that proposal. General Titania, may you watch over our Crimean siblings in the coming weeks." And with that, Geoffrey, Lucia, and Soren left the war tent.

Titania turned to Tauroneo and Jill with a smile. "Now it's time for us to plan our formations and where our supplies will be going. We have to be prepared in case Izuka's men try to cross the bridge."

* * *

"Once we exit the forest, we will be entering Arbor province, which is Crimean territory. Hopefully, there won't be any Confederate troops trying to take the province or ambush us for their recent defeat." Ranulf explained.

"I can only hope that they won't be so foolish... Honestly, to assault men like Lord Skimir and General Zelgius at once... Lekain must truly believe that his officers are merely pawns if he would make such a decision." Sanaki sighed.

A red sparkle glittered just over a ridge, and Janaff was startled.

"Hey, did any of you guys spot that just now?" He spun around.

The rest of his comrades stared at him. "You are the hawk king's eyes, no? Pray tell, what did you see?" Zelgius asked with an amused smile.

"Something red is just over the ridge. Give me a moment." And Janaff quickly transformed, flapping his wings and quickly hovering over the field.

"Confirmed... I hear voices to the east... The enemy has spotted us." Ulki winced. This was definitely not going to end well.

"Enemy calvary troops are starting to move towards the edge of that ridge... They're going to hit us like an avalanche! They've got wyvern riders and pegasus knights as backup, ready to drop hundreds of armored knights into our ranks... Geez... I guess Lekain really is a genuine bastard." Janaff shook his head as he reverted back to his beorc-like form.

Sanaki could only sigh. "Then I suppose we should force them to flee as soon as possible. The more I late my countrymen die, the worser ruler I become."

* * *

"Commander, the sub-humans are accompanied by the Apostle's army. It's appalling to know that there are those who would call themselves our countrymen who are shameless enough to cock the knee to those primitive beasts."

"Lieutenant, your platoon will remain as a surveyor of the battle's goings on. Be ready to provide the fifth company with fire support as they descend upon the heart of the enemy's formation." Colonel Roark ordered.

The subordinate halberdier nodded. "Can do, Sir. However, will a single platoon of fire support be enough?"

"There is no need for you to worry. Just do your duty, soldier." Roark yawned and the Lieutenant nodded.

"Understood. Those fools and their beastly friends will not live to see the next moonrise."

* * *

Five columns of Begnion armored knights stood steadfast at the bottom of the ridge. In front of them, Zelgius raised a longsword. "Each of you are carrying at least two horseslayers, longswords, or poleaxes, yes? Then we should be fine. The enemy will not expect us to be prepared as we skewer and cut down every one of their calvary troops. Once their first few waves have been slain, the Holy Guards and our Phoenician allies will strike their demoralized ranks from above. Those who betrayed us will soon regret their vows."

"To think we Gallians must stand back and let the Apostle's army avenge our fallen siblings... Why can't we join in the fight?" Lethe let out an irritated hiss.

"Well, those armored units have extremely tough hides... With that many columns we can rest assured that the enemy calvary will find it almost impossible to get past them. Look at it this way, it's certain that none of our laguz brothers will have to risk their lives." Ranulf shrugged his shoulders.

_But despite being laguz, none of them noticed the bands of enemy soldiers closing in on them from all directions..._

1. Ike seems to have grown colder as well as more mature by the end of Path of Radiance. This showed itself even more clearly in Radiant Dawn, and I think I've shown some of it in this fic, if I'm not mistaken. Though I've also made Ike a bit reckless thanks to knowing that he is very strong.


	11. A Breach of Faith

Happy New Year, you all. I've noticed that this is one large chapter. Though it might take a while to read, I hope that you enjoy it just the same.

Author's Warning: If you haven't noticed already, characters in this fanfic are very fond of long-winded speeches. Yes, I'm a poetic/political/historic kind of guy, what can I say?

Chapter 11: A Breach of Faith

Fort Arbor, the closest Crimean fortress to the Gallian border, had hardly seen the chaos of battle. When Daein forces invaded the province, General Tagio tried to hold them off, but with the majority of Crimea's supplies having been lost in the Battle of Fort Pinell, Tagio was forced to flee into the shadows of the forest, and Arbor was swiftly taken.

Since Daein was too busy focusing on chasing after the Princess, most of Arbor was left unharmed, since the citizenry didn't really care who governed them as long as their lives stayed roughly the same. Since the Mad King's War, Arbor had been the province least accepting of Queen Elincia's reign, since she seemed to focus on the issues of other provinces much more readily, using Delbray as an example of a 'successful' province rather than the relatively unscathed Arbor.

Ludveck, Duke of Arbor, had originally given Taigo quite a bit of gold and grain from his coffers in the hopes that the General would sing Ludveck's praises for helping him fend off the enemy, but with Taigo's appalling defeat, Ludveck found it prudent to simply surrender his political power to the Daein invaders. When Crimea regained her independence Ludveck was one of the first to curse their former Daein 'masters' and help Elincia to the throne with all the monetary aid he could muster, but Elincia was not one to take bribes, and Ludveck found that most of his demands were ignored.

Within his well-furbished palace, untouched by the spears of Daein, Ludveck eagerly awaited news that could help him regain the power he had gradually lost. Soon enough, a member of his personal guard came to inform him of the army stationed within the borders of his jurisdiction.

"Lord Ludveck, Senator Lekain of the Begnion Confederacy has asked that we help assault the laguz's rear positions while the Begnion Imperial Army is distracted by Valtome's calvary charge. If I may, sir, assisting Lord Lekain in the destruction of Gallia's army would bring us in his good graces, and I believe that we will be granted many rewards in the long run."

"Hmph. Elincia might be willing to make amends for anyone who's willing to not shoot at her, but I'm not so spineless. Tell me, if Lekain truly wanted to destroy the Gallian army, why didn't he press his attack onto Zarzi when he caught the entire Gallian Royal Army off guard with his initial attack? Phoenicis had no troops in Gallia at the time of his initial advance, and most of the Gallian army was in the south, trying to restore the damaged areas and help the disenfranchised populace.

"This proves that Lekain is an incompetent fool who continues to use Sanaki as his scapegoat in order to justify his reign. I have no intention of throwing away my dignity in order to assist him simply because he is so powerful." Ludveck sighed as he slouched further into his chair.

The soldier bowed. "My Lord, Lekain might be rather tactically challenged, but his standing army is still very powerful. Valtome succeeded in whittling the Begnion Imperial Army to a minute fraction of the glorious strength it once had. Goldoa, Daein, and Kilvas are still members of the Confederacy itself. It's only a matter of time before the senators create a strategy that will overwhelm the Gallian and Crimean armies...

"Their sheer numbers will be enough to storm several Gallian positions, as the Civil War decimated Gallia's army, and with Goldoa's dragons and Kilvas's ravens Elincia will fall... If we support Begnion now, we can keep our strength and, perhaps, take Izuka's path and become rulers of the State of Crimea within the Confederacy. Self-rule will be ours, and perhaps even Elincia herself will be yours. Imagine the scope of the riches we will earn if we support the Confederacy in its endeavor!"

Ludveck sighed. "Well... Elincia isn't the type who'll let me have what I want. Sooner or later she'll increase my taxes in order to save her beloved Delbray. Honestly, to hell with Delbray! That province was destined to be in ruins the moment it was founded! Who's bright idea was it to place such a large town at the borders of Begnion and Daein? If one nation is not at war with Crimea the other would find it advantageous to sack the city! At any rate, you're right. I should keep my options open. Even if something goes wrong, I can tell Elincia that I intended to not allow any army from any foreign nation invade a Crimean province, be they Gallian or Phoenician or whatever faction. That should force her to stay silent at least."

"Very good, sir. We will order our frontline encampments to deploy themselves and engage the Gallian forces from the rear. Once they've tied up those subs we can move in with our calvary squads and the battle will be ours. Valtome can easily destroy the Imperial Army once he knows that we've helped him clear away those Gallian foes." The guard bowed and left.

* * *

"Grandfather... I hear that thirty more of our siblings fell in combat against Ike and Geoffrey. Is this true?" Ena spoke uneasily as Nasir passed her by.

Goldoa palace had never been seen by non-dragon eyes. It's gigantic tan walls were mainly there for appearance sake, since the dragons doubted that anyone, not even a talented thunder sage, could possibly view them, let alone breech them.

Within those walls, the dragons of Goldoa scampered about. There wasn't much of a need to transform, and thus most dragons were fully capable of transforming immediately, though they knew that they probably wouldn't need to. So generally they remained in their humanoid forms, with tax collectors sitting at desks as they reviewed various documents, butlers running back and forth with refreshments for the various ministers, and various Goldoan nobles sprinting about, trying to either curry favor with the King or simply relax in its furbished halls.

But Nasir was in no mood to do either. Though it pained him to ignore his granddaughter, he had an urgent message to bring to King Deghinsea.

Ena blinked as her grandfather simply marched past her and entered the throne room. Nasir was hardly the type to be stoic before family or close friends, so something truly troubling was amiss.

"Your majesty... Our men have taken significant casualties in the battles against Crimea. Almost a hundred dragons have fallen in the assaults on Castle Delbray. Our brothers should not be sacrificed like cattle simply because a few beorc madmen can achieve their ambitions! We might not be wasting our breath on Gallian or Phoenician laguz, but Crimean beorc are the only beorc faction who have begun to accept us laguz for who we are! To butcher them so viciously will only prove to those racists among the beorc that laguz and beorc cannot coexist!" Nasir tightly clenched his fist with rage as he stood before the great king.

"Thank you, Nasir, for your input. But you must know that Goldoa alone will be unable to fend off the combined might of Begnion, Daein, and Kilvas. That, and with Gallia and Phoenicis's defeat, how will the Confederacy be able to ever accept us laguz? Perhaps they can claim that Kilvas is the sole exception among laguz tribes, and thus allow the ravens and crows to live without persecution, but other laguz groups will be butchered like those Daein hunts of recent times. Begnion enslavements of laguz will become commonplace, and a place like Crimea, where beorc and laguz try to live together in harmony, will merely be a fond memory. That is why Goldoa must stand beside the Confederacy, for only then can laguz hope to find some sort of solace. Refugees from Phoenicis and Gallia will find a safe haven within our borders; you can be sure of that. Confederate law dictates that all provinces are allowed self-rule as long as they respect the sovereignty of the Senate and of the entire Begnion Confederacy itself. There is little else to discuss."

"_There is little else to discuss_." Nasir repeated bitterly. "My lord, if I may, Lekain will find a way to bend these rules, I'm sure of it. A man who is not content with being the owner of a fantastic villa, a Duke of a significantly large and rich province, and a Senator of high standing is a man who will stop at nothing to earn pure power. Valtome supports him only because his ambitions are not as far-reaching, and Izuka and Lekain only bear with each other because an alliance benefits both of them. They are not the sort of men we can trust... Mark my words, if Goldoa falls for Lekain's facade any longer, Begnion's blades will soon be headed for our throats, and this laguz sanctuary for which you've fancied yourself as its keeper will quickly became a slaughterhouse." And with that, Lord Nasir of Goldoa rudely stormed out of the throne room.

Deghinsea only sighed as he watched Nasir leave. "I only do what must be done. Those actions might be what my people would consider wrong, but if Goldoa and the laguz tribes wish to survive, then this is what I must do to keep them alive."

* * *

"Geoffrey... I thank Ashera that you are unharmed... To think that Goldoa would send its mighty dragons to the field! You... You truly have suffered so much for my sake." Elincia grasped the General's hand tightly as she gazed into his eyes.

Castle Crimea seemed so empty as Geoffrey's army returned to the premises. Ike and the Greil Mercenaries, who felt like uninvited guests, decided to wait in the garden as the main Crimean army gathered itself around the main plaza and throne room. With Geoffrey having personally went to speak to the Queen, Ike and the rest of the mercenaries could only sit around in boredom.

But Lucia, Bastian, and the other members of the royal guard hardly had such a luxury.

"Elincia... No... To fight in your name is not suffering, it is merely a fulfillment of my duties. I've always told you that my life and blade are yours, no? I have never exaggerated that point. We've lived our lives beside you, and we will continue to do so 'till the end. If Defeat does come, I will still be the one at the castle gates, fighting the enemy to the bitter end. Bastian will be standing on the battlements, smacking foes with wind blasts and raining fire and thunder down upon their heads. Lucia will be the one who stands before your throne room, her sword at the ready. We three shall never leave your side, Elincia, and we will gladly die to keep you alive."

"But Geoffrey, I... I could not bear the sight of you collapsing on the castle floor covered in blood. You are very dear to me... To lose you would be like having my liver torn out of me. I could not survive such a painful ordeal. I may be a Queen, and I might be powerful and might have to set personal desires aside for the greater good, but even I am in need for loved ones whom I can trust with my life. Even I have need for people with whom I can be happy. You, Lucia, Bastian, you three make me happy when you are near. It's not like I don't feel pleased when Ike or the others are near, but you three have been there for me for as long as I can remember. I cannot imagine how I will live without either of you by my side..."

"Elincia... I... Thank you... You've always shown such concern for all of us. Too many rulers in Tellius's history have not shown devotion to their subjects like you. Even now we face men like Lekain and Izuka, men who are willing to do anything for power, even if it means sacrificing their men like cattle. Since you are so unwilling to see us die, we are even more willing to fight till the bitter end in your name..." Geoffrey bowed.

"Geoffrey... Please... Know when to fall back. Falling back is not the same as defeat." Elincia grabbed his arm.

Geoffrey smiled as he placed his hand over hers. "You have my word, Elincia. I will come back to you alive, always."

* * *

Ever since the Daein Loyalist Army left their homeland, the people of Daein forgot what "peace" was.

Almost daily Izuka's patrols would march along the streets of once glorious cities like Nevassa, Sella, and Marado, killing all those who would dare stand in their way. Hundreds of revolutionary organizations sprouted throughout the nation, hoping that the voice of the people could overwhelm Izuka's, and that Daein could be reunited under a banner that would care for her people.

Noyce, leader of the Daein Liberation Front, one of the larger Daein revolutionary organizations, gathered more than 400 members in the hope that he could help destroy Izuka and restore Daein to her former glory. In the battle of Nebula, Noyce was able to ally with several other organizations for one massive revolution. Together, these revolutionaries overwhelmed Izuka's royal troops and retook the fortress in the people's name.

Among these revolutionaries, Noyce met Aran and Laura, a young "group of childhood friends," though in the older man's eyes they were practically a couple, who helped fight and tend to the wounded. Laura, having taken the oath of Priestess, was able to wield staves to help heal the wounded, while Aran took the path of a soldier in the hope of one day becoming a sentinel.

But Noyce happily found more than just that young couple. Enjorlas, a dedicated bow knight who cursed Izuka's disregard for the people's needs, and Gant, an ex-mercenary who swore to split open the skulls of those who would meddle with or pillage the homes of the diligent farmers whose toils helped keep the nation alive. Befriending these four youths, Noyce hoped that the Daein Liberation Front could one day help make their four young lives continue on under a peaceful, honorable, supportive Daein monarchy.

But his hopes were quickly dashed.

Nebula was retaken by Izuka's armies after a three week long siege. The revolutionary leaders captured by this "King" were immediately executed, and their followers were enslaved. Whatever hopes of a new Daein now dissipated into thin air.

Gant, Enjorlas, Aran, Laura, these four souls disappeared into the frosty Daein night, and Noyce could not find a single soul as he escaped from the flames of Nebula.

Alone, carrying only forty coins, a steel axe, and a vulnerary, Noyce purchased a cloak with half his money and successfully disguised himself as a beggar, who happened to carry a steel axe, though in these times bandit raids were not so rare and one needed to protect oneself with anything one had.

But as he wandered about, he found a young girl, her hair silver like a pile of Daein's winter snow, healing an old, frail man's pained joints. Arthritis was a common disease for the elderly of Daein, and this girl seemed to be able to cure it.

Beside the girl, a young boy with green hair stood. The way he twirled the dagger in his hand reminded Noyce of the talented rouges and assassins that prowled the streets at night, or who were hired by the military to execute key foes.

Who were these people? This boy looked like no rookie, and this girl could heal people, without a stave, it seemed. She simply raised her right hand and a white glow began to get emitted from it. This glow gleamed over the old man's body, and he began to move normally once more. He was healed.

Noyce continued to stare at the two kids. The boy, well, it wasn't too surprising in these times to have people who were skilled in the use of a weapon, but the girl... That was supernatural... Those people flocked to her as though she was some sort of living panacea. Clearly, this girl was something else.

But as he stared at the pair, a voice yelled aloud: "They've come! Get out of here, now!"

Moments later, soldiers in black stormed the streets, spearing any civilian that got in their way. Narrowing his eyes, Noyce raised his axe. As the former leader of the DLF he could not let this stand! Daein's people could not be butchered by these bastards any longer! If he had to die today, he'd die for a greater cause.

At that moment the boy came running to him. "You there! How skilled are you with an axe?"

"That's rude of you." Noyce smiled.

"No time for manners when innocent people are getting killed. I can use knives to cut them down, and Micaiah here can strike them with light magic. If you can use that axe to help me, we can cut a path through these bastards and find their commander. Micaiah can give us fire support." The boy replied.

"Kid, you have no idea who you're talking to, do you? I'm Noyce."

"You're kidding."

"Why would I when we could die in seconds?"

"... I can't believe I'm talking to you... Why are we waiting here? Let's go take out these bastards and save the city!"

"You don't need to tell me twice, kid."

* * *

The boy's name was Sothe, Noyce learned, and he once fought alongside men like General Tauroneo when Ashnard invaded Crimea... The Mad King's War led to the ruined Daein of today, and Noyce couldn't believe half of what Sothe spoke of Ike, Crimea's national hero.

Apparently, Micaiah didn't think much of his appraisal of Ike either, always trying to cover Sothe's mouth when the boy uttered more words in favor of that commander.

"So what exactly will we do now? We attacked those bastards, and now we're literally fugitives. People wouldn't turn us in, but once the cops or some watchmen spot us, our cover is blown." Enjorlas groaned.

Noyce nodded. Indeed, they were in dire straights.

* * *

_The screams of children filled the air as the black armored warriors, who should have been protecting this snowy land, descended upon them._

_The streets were filled with dying old men and women. Every person who came face to face with a soldier found herself skewered on the edge of a lance. No one, man, woman, or child, was left alive if they were spotted by these soldiers. Their orders were to purge the streets of potential rebels, and in Izuka's eyes anyone who dared disobey his edict that everyone had to voluntarily undergo house arrest for the good of Daein was a potential rebel._

_Noyce and Sothe sprang forward as their hometown burned around them. They swung their axes and tossed their knives into the fray, slaying those barbaric soldiers and saving innocent lives with each strike. Giant spheres of pure energy descended upon their foes as Micaiah stood behind them, muttering incantations from the tome in her hand._

_Whole platoons of black armored men fell before them, and their bodies began to pile on the streets as well. As these three continued to fight, they found a blonde haired man on a horse firing arrows at a squad of charging enemy troops. Before their horseslayers could reach the rider, each soldier collapsed on the ground, dead with an arrow stuck in their skulls._

"_Enjorlas!" Noyce cried in the cold night air._

"_Noyce! Old man, I knew you'd show up... Even if Nebula fell, I knew that the people's defenders wouldn't be gone so easily. I was pretty much mopping up these bastards alone until you came." The rider's green eyes twinkled as he rode and stopped before them._

"_Enjorlas... How many people are dead because of these soldiers?"_

"_... Several hundred at least... These people chose not to obey such a ridiculous law, as they should, but it's come to this... Anyway, I see that you've found a few new people." Enjorlas nodded._

"_I'm Sothe, and this is Micaiah. I'm sorry that we weren't at Nebula... It's not easy to travel around when you don't have cash." Sothe nodded._

"_I hear you. But we're wasting time chatting. Those bastards won't stop until they're routed, and we four are the only people in their way." Enjorlas waved his arm and reared his horse, charging through another alley with the three heroes following him._

* * *

An enemy halberdier had stood triumphant as commander of this "hunting expedition," and once Noyce split his skull open with his axe the corrupted officer could no longer hunt down innocent lives.

The four warriors, knowing that they were practically alone, were forced to trudge along the dusty old roads of Daein's countryside. To stay anywhere near the cities would be suicide.

"Sothe, since you're a veteran and a thief, you should have good eyes. Can you see anywhere we can take shelter? I think it'll rain, and we aren't exactly wearing waterproof clothes." Enjorlas spoke.

Sothe's eyes darted about. "Too bad Janaff isn't here..." He mumbled.

"Pardon?"

"Oh, nothing. This area seems too desolate... I don't think we'll find any place anytime soon." Sothe shook his head.

"Then we'd better hurry. We'll probably reach a shack or something if we quicken our pace instead of talking." Noyce started to sprint forward, and the others immediately followed.

* * *

"Ranulf, why are there white armored soldiers charging at us?" Lethe hissed skeptically as the Gallian army turned to find Crimeans rushing towards them.

"Could they be reinforcements?" Ranulf shrugged his shoulders.

"Reinforcements tend not to point their spears _at_ you when they're rushing to assist you..." Lyre muttered.

A tiger comrade of theirs, seeing this stampede of Crimean troops charging towards them, decided to transform just to be safe. Crimea and Gallia were allies, and transforming was a natural process that Gallians went through. Transforming wasn't necessarily used for war. Heck, a transformed laguz could travel much more efficiently than an untransformed one. Transformed laguz were far more capable at transporting heavy goods (despite having a limited time frame for them to do so), and were basically another method for laguz to live their lives more efficiently.

A laguz who knew which situations could be better taken care of transformed or not is a laguz who would lead a more fulfilling life. That is why, in any normal circumstance, no friendly beorc should feel any form of discomfort upon seeing a friendly laguz transform in front of them.

But these Crimean troops immediately raised their spears and charged at all the untransformed laguz that were watching their Begnion Imperial allies fend off the Confederate horde.

Half of Ranulf's troops immediately transformed, and pounced forward to face the advancing tide.

Claws smashed into helmets and swords seared through flesh as laguz and beorc engaged each other once again. This time, though, was a battle between those who thought that they were allies. With each swipe of the paw and blade, the link between Crimea and Gallia was severed further. Now it seemed that the Confederacy, having reached into Crimea itself, would finally prevail over Gallia and Phoenicis... If five nations were finally cocking the knee to the Confederacy's whim, the remaining two nations would be outnumbered and outgunned. All King Ramon's toils now seemed in vain...

Ludveck, realizing that the reputation of Gallia's strength was not mere bragging, ordered a few of his pegasus knights to call in reinforcements from Melior. Ludveck and Izuka were far more precious allies than Tibarn and Caineghis, after all. What did post civil war Gallia and Phoenicis have against the legions of Begnion and Daein?

* * *

This job was supposed to be easy.

Makalov groaned at that thought.

All he had to do was watch this fort... What was its name? Yes, he just had to watch over this fort and make sure of two things:

A. That it did not fall into non-Crimean hands. It was too far north for Gallia or Phoenicis to take care of it, after all.

B. That everything was kept under control, and by that Marcia meant that supplies were always aplenty, troops had good morale, and that there would be no reason for Geoffrey or even Lucia to court marshal him after visiting the establishment.

So why did things have to get so complicated?

Ludveck's pegasus knight messenger arrived and landed on the front gate of the fortress. Makalov's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets when he saw her.

She was drop dead gorgeous...

With a bottom so firm... A waist so supple... A bosom so voracious... It was clear that Ludveck knew who to hire to get what he wanted.

Makalov couldn't stop staring at her... He even caught himself drooling, but was too transfixed by her to wipe it off.

She flashed him a beautiful smile.

His heart melted.

"Captain Makalov, please listen to this request..." Her soft voice refreshed his ears.

"_I'll listen to whatever you have to say, babe..."_ He refrained from blurting that out. Instead, he just nodded his head like a bobble toy.

"Lord Ludveck needs you to go and help drive those vicious beasts out of the province..." She gasped at the words "vicious beasts." Fluttering her eyelids and grabbing his arm, she added: "Please say you will! Protect my hometown... Don't let those poor people get eaten alive!"

Makalov turned bright red.

She rubbed herself against him.

He could hardly keep himself from fainting.

"Please!" She added, pressing her entire chest against his arm.

Makalov almost died. "Ye-Yeah..." He muttered.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Captain!" She laughed, grabbing him into a hug.

"This is it, now... I can finally prove my manliness... All I have to do is move my head an inch forward..." Makalov thought to himself. Her lips were right there. She was hugging him... He could finally show the world that yes, he was a man...

So close... Sooo close...

And she immediately pushed him off.

"Better get yourself ready, Captain. I'll be waiting!" She blew him a kiss as she mounted her pegasus and flew off.

"Just wait for me!" Makalov yelled after her, his heart aflutter. With a few frantic yells, he rallied those soldiers who were unfortunate enough to be under his command, and with an entire regiment of troops he marched out for Arbor. Sooner or later that beautiful pegasus knight would be his!

* * *

So the lovesick Makalov rode his gallant steed towards the besieged province of Arbor. He had to save those poor people!...

Oh, wait, who was he kidding? He was here to get that fair maiden's heart, that's all. Pshaw, honor, dignity, who needed such things when it would only get you killed? To be a man, you had to achieve three things: Money, Fame, and Women. Nothing else really mattered.

Makalov nodded to himself. That was right. Honor would just get you killed. Dignity just made you a snotty arse. Money, Fame, and Women would always make you happy.

So Makalov rode forward, with his soldiers sprinting behind him, when from the sky he heard a screech.

"Traitor!"

A huge eagle came swooping down from the sky, and slammed into the hapless knight.

He was sent flying...

And slammed headfirst into a tree.

As sleep began to overtake him, he thought once again:

"Wasn't this job supposed to be easy?"

* * *

Tibarn screeched when he noted Makalov's swift defeat.

That bastard! They had fought side by side during the Mad King's War, and now he'd betray them all... He, too, would help the Confederacy. What, did he owe them money as well?

The Hawk King shook his head. Who were friends, and who were foes? Who could they trust now?. Lord Ludveck, a Crimean nobleman, would march against them. Makalov, a member of the Royal Knights, would lead a regiment to attack Gallians. What was going on?

If Crimea had finally shown its true colors, then Phoenicis and Gallia could no longer give those beorc any quarter! King Ramon's dream had failed, and with its failure it was only a matter of time before the Confederacy finally consumed all of Tellius... Until then, the two remaining laguz nations who retained any sense of honor and dignity would stand strong and take down their foes! Tibran and Caingehis would rather die than let honor fade from the land of Tellius!


	12. Wrath of Empires

Chapter 12: Wrath of Empires

On the ground, countless Gallian and Crimean troops exchanged blows while Confederate and Imperial troops slaughtered each other. Sanaki found it hard to believe that Crimea had finally turned its back on Gallia, but she knew that she had chosen her side in this conflict… She could not let Begnion fall into these corrupt Confederate hands, so she would die fighting alongside her Gallian and Phoenicis friends.

In the air, Ludveck's pegasus knights hounded the warriors of Phoenicis. In mobs of six or seven they'd assault a single hawk, and no matter how strong they were the hawks of Phoenicis could not take down three or more at a time. The Holy Guard found itself attacked by Crimean Pegasus Knights on one side and Begnion Pegasus and Wyvern Knights on the other.

Tibarn, Skimir, Sanaki, they all found the chaos on the battlefield to be far out of hand… Even with the pillar of strength known as Zelgius, the Begnion Imperial Army felt demoralized at the sheer number of their foes and the sheer lack of troops their friends had. Ranulf and Zelgius, even with their strength combined, found that the battlefield was truly not in their favor.

With great passion, the warriors of Gallia cursed these Crimean traitors… For so long they believed that Crimea represented the hope of peace between beorc and laguz, but now it had come to this… With Begnion beorc at their sides, there simply because they were refuges who were driven out of their homes by a truly vile tyrant and his heartless army, and with their trusted friends the Phoenicis hawks, the Gallians were ready to fight till the end… Ramon was finally dead. Ramon's dream was finally dead. And now they'd have to pay for it.

* * *

"Your Majesty, we've noticed some disturbing activity in the province of Ardor. It looks as though Gallian soldiers have entered the province, and have suddenly been attacked by Ludveck's forces along with Confederate troops from the southeast. If I may, madam, this may flare up into an extremely deadly political situation. If we do not stop Ludveck from killing Gallian soldiers on the field, the Gallian army might believe that Crimea has betrayed them… If that happens our alliances will crumble. Ludveck must have something to do with the Begnion Confederacy, otherwise as a Crimean governor he should not attempt to assault allied soldiers moving through Crimean territory. This situation must be taken care of immediately." Elincia's messenger bowed.

The Queen of Crimea gasped in shock. Her nightmares seemed to have come true. Lekain truly knew how to force everything to come crashing down upon the young ruler.

"My Queen, allow me to lead the rescue team. We will do what we can to assure the Gallian and Phoenicis armies that we are their allies and that they have not been betrayed, as well as drive out those Confederate scum and correct Ludveck's men for their critical errors." Geoffrey saluted.

Elincia gulped. "Geoffrey… I don't want to risk losing you…"

"I swear that, as a knight of Crimea, I will ensure my survival. You need not worry for me, my Queen." Geoffrey nodded.

"Then I shall go as well." Lucia spoke from among the nobles who overheard the report and Geoffrey's response.

"Lucia… How can I sacrifice you, too?"

Lucia smiled. "I am not one who would let the enemy claim my life so easily. We must restore Gallia and Phoenicis's faith in us at all costs. If I must die for Crimea's future, I will gladly do so… But rest assured that I don't intend to die on this mission."

"'Tis a horrible day for Crimea indeed, but as long as I breathe, let me go in your stead…" Bastian danced before Elincia.

"Inappropriate, but your heart is clear." Lucia rolled her eyes.

"Bastian… So all three of you are willing to go… Since Skimir and Tibarn are there, it is my duty as the Queen of Crimea to aid my peers and clear such horrible crises myself. I will lead the army, with Geoffrey as Van Leader. He will be my frontline voice. He will dictate my orders over the heat of battle while I punish those Confederate warmongers with the Amiti. If blades are what will lead us to peace, then I shall draw my own." Elincia raised Crimea's royal sword and called for her armor. The Queen of Crimea herself was ready to mobilize against the Confederate horde.

As the Royal Knights began to leave Castle Crimea, Ike quickly ran towards them. "Elincia, do you need my help?"

"My lord Ike… This is a political matter… The Royal Knights should suffice…" Elincia spoke, but was suddenly cut off by Soren.

"You know that is a foolish move, your majesty. No matter how powerful the Royal Knights are, your safety has already been jeopardized. The Confederate troops know of the man named Ike, and fear him. They know of the Greil Mercenary's track record, and fear them. Though General Geoffrey will more than suffice as a commanding officer for an expedition as crucial as this, you should let Ike and the rest of our veterans care for your personal safety… You are Crimea's Queen and the more men sent to protect you, the better. Don't be so quick to refuse the help of tried veterans whom you know you can trust."

"What audacity!" A Crimean nobleman scoffed. "This man should be executed. How dare he speak in such a matter?!"

Lucia glanced uneasily from Elincia to Soren. Soren made a stupid move, speaking so frankly before royalty. He, of all people, should know his "place" in society. To step outside social boundaries so nonchalantly was suicide in these times. If Elincia didn't act according to societal rules, the Crimean nobles would question her competence as a ruler… This was one tense moment that would definitely bode ill for someone, and since she cared for both parties Lucia couldn't bear to watch the outcome.

Elincia blinked, and nodded. "Thank you, Master Soren. As ever, your judgment is quite sound. Geoffrey, Ike shall serve as your second in command. With advisors like Lucia and Soren, this expedition will clearly be a success. Have General Taigo watch over Melior's safety, for we must get going." The Queen commanded. Eagerly, the men of Crimea obeyed her.

* * *

Lucia's jaw almost hit the ground. Elincia would just brush off the noble's disdain and accept Soren regardless of his tactlessness? Though that was the wiser thing to do, she might lose favor with the nobles because of this move…

* * *

Swiftly the Royal Knights and the Greil Mercenaries rushed to Ardor…

While back in Sienne, Lekain unfolded the final part of his plan.

"Tell Izuka to hurry and strike Tauroneo's fortifications, Numida. You will be the Confederacy's voice in Daein, since I fear that Izuka has failed to realize what a Confederacy truly is… Rather, he's made Daein his personal Empire, and though the Confederacy accepts self-rule it also must have each state within the Confederacy accept the superiority of the Confederate Central Government. As Confederate Governor and King of Gaddos province, I understand some of his sentiments. But, as Chairman of the Central Government of the Begnion Confederacy, I have to ensure that he accepts my authority over him." Lekain ordered.

Once that Senator left the premises, Lekain spoke to Valtome. "Tell our forces to strike into the heart of Crimea through Frangere pass. Tell our air troops to move from Telgam and drop reinforcements into Crimea's borders. Tell everyone to move into Crimea from every angle possible. With Ludveck causing havoc within Crimea itself, and with our combined strength striking every Crimean fortification, the Crimean slaves will be defeated, Ludveck will join us as Governor of Crimean province, and Elincia will be finished. Gallia and Phoenicis will be forced to submit to us soon enough, and we will have wealth and power beyond our wildest dreams."

"Tee hee, you truly have thought everything through. Our Dragon allies will be among the invasion force, yes? I wonder how Elincia can fend them off this time when her own nation is split in two. We will win and prove to them that we are superior… Elincia will have to give herself to Ludveck to let there be any hope of peace for her supporters… We have won this war, haven't we?" Valtome laughed.

* * *

Lekain chuckled. "Not exactly yet, but, yes, we have practically won. We just need to watch our plan work in action… I just might have to send you additional troops, but I doubt it. Now go and show those slaves why they should never have turned their backs on their Begnion masters!" Lekain ordered and Valtome gladly complied.

* * *

Lethe couldn't believe that she was crushing Crimean skulls with her paws.

What was the meaning of this? She trusted these people! She trusted these beorc whom she believed were honorable people who wouldn't try to kill her! And now it came to this...

Lyre thought of Muarim as she slammed her own claws into the face of a Crimean lance general. The enemy warrior's muffled scream wasn't loud enough to break her thoughts. Was Muarim ok? Did he survive the onslaught of Confederate troops who would undoubtedly try to destroy the Laguz Emancipation army? On that note, Stefan was probably an enemy of the Confederacy... Did Stefan join forces with Muarim? Were they fighting side by side?

The more she thought of Muarim, the worser Lyre felt. Lethe was right. Lyre could do nothing for Muarim. Only Tormod, and hopefully Stefan, could help him. Even if she loved him, there was nothing she could do...

Well, there was _something_...

She had to stay alive.

* * *

Geoffrey rode to the top of the hill, with Astrid and Oscar close behind. With his hands wrapped around Astrid's waist (though being careful not to press too closely to her for fear of pissing off both Astrid _and_ Lucia), Soren peaked his head over her shoulder to watch the turn of events.

"Master Soren... It looks like the Gallian and Phoenician forces are truly at odds with Ludveck. I even recognize the banner of the troops that were stationed at Fort Pinell. If Makalov actually assisted Ludveck in this attack, then we must come to our laguz comrade's aid, or this will be an act of betrayal." Geoffrey gulped. He could feel his knight's honor melting away with every moment of inaction.

"This is worse than I feared. Oscar, order Kieran's divisions to move out, now. I stationed them at the foot of this hill for a reason. They will arrive within firing range of Ludveck's troops in moments. Once they attack Ludveck's men, and once Ranulf or Lethe or someone who knows us in the Gallian ranks recognizes Kieran, they will be able to tell which among us Crimeans are friends or foes." Soren ordered. Oscar, glaring at the way Soren was "holding" Astrid, grudgingly obliged and left.

"Ulki!" Soren yelled at the clouds. "This is Soren, of the Greil Mercenaries. We fought once under the same banner. I would like to parlay with you." (1.)

Turning towards Geoffrey, he spoke. "Please stay here, Sir Geoffrey. Astrid... Bear with me for a few moments, ok?" He spoke to her.

Astrid nodded. Soren was no pervert, and she trusted him. He wasn't anything like Gatrie. That, and Geoffrey was here to protect her honor in case Soren _did_ try to do anything, since that was something Geoffrey, as a knight, would definitely do.

Sure enough, the King's ears flew towards Soren. He spotted Astrid, but Ulki knew who she was. Astrid was not the type of person who would shoot before talking, and Geoffrey was there too. Ulki knew these people, thank Ashera, and knew that they were of the reasonable sort at worst. Staying transformed in case of an attack, he swooped down and hovered in front of the trio.

"You called, Master Soren? What do you want to tell me? And, by all rights, in the name of Phoenicis I will strike you down if you prove that you are a traitor... Sir Geoffrey, what Crimea has done here today can hardly be forgi..." Ulki was cut off mid speech by Soren.

"That's why I wanted to speak to you. Crimea is not your enemy; Ludveck is. Her Majesty Elincia is here to prove that Ludveck is defying her wishes by attacking your positions. We are here to reinforce you and to force Ludveck to stand down by any means necessary..."

Before Soren could continue, however, they heard a yell among the roars of battle.

"Sir Janaff! As an Honorable Knight of Crimea, I, Sir Kieran, shall assist you in the trouncing of these rebellious troops! They are an insult to Crimea and, by all rights, Crimean forces never betray their allies! Lady Lethe, I am honored to see you once again. Rest assured that, as an honorable knight of Crimea, Gallian lives will be saved from that rebel's vile doings!" Kieran yelled at the first few faces he recognized among the laguz forces.

Ulki looked genuinely surprised, and soon his face turned to that of amusement. "I knew there was a catch. Elincia's not the type to use such dishonorable tactics, even during war. Very well. Sir Geoffrey, you should hurry down to help turn the tide of battle. You too, Lady Astrid... Master Soren... I, myself shall help my hawk brothers fend off the enemy's air support. Hurry! Time is of the essence!" And with that, Ulki flew off high into the clouds.

As he stared at Kieran, Janaff looked honestly surprised. "Well, I guess we underestimated the scope of Crimean politics. But if Elincia and her crew are on our side, then we should be careful in our attack on those beorc troops. All units! Pay attention to who you are attacking! There are those among the white-armored beorc who are our allies and those who are foes! Make sure you note those who strike you rather than those who are armed but are pointing their spears elsewhere!" Janaff ordered.

From a distance, Tibarn could make out the sounds of frantic orders. He spotted Gallian tigers suddenly running alongside Crimean cavalry, with joint strikes upon other Crimean forces. "There's a civil war among Crimean troops?" He thought to himself. Suddenly, a pegasus knight came flying towards him.

"Lord Tibarn!" As expected, it was a woman's voice...

But wait, why would she refer to him as a mere 'Lord?'

He looked towards the voice, and saw Elincia flying towards him. That would explain it. They were practically equals when it came to social status.

"I do hope you have a good explanation for this." Tibarn glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.

Elincia smiled apologetically. "Ludveck has gone against my wishes, and so the Royal Knights are engaging him as we speak..."

"Then why did Makalov, one of your men, attack Ranulf's forces?" Tibarn's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Elincia might not be the same person he thought she was, after all.

Elincia gasped. "He did? I... I never gave Makalov any orders... Ludveck must have recalled him here under the pretext of an attack by so-called 'hostile' forces. I swear that I would never order one of my own men to attack my allies."

Tibarn stared into Elincia's eyes. They were pure, sorely lacking in malice. They were honest eyes.

He laughed.

"Alright, then! I'm glad that we're clear on this. Very well, let's force this traitor Ludveck to see the error in his ways, and clear out these Confederate scum while we're at it!" Tibarn chortled as he prepared himself to swoop down upon their foes.

Elincia smiled. "I'm glad... That this animosity's been settled. Yes, I will make sure that judgment is due for that insurgent! Let us strike!" She raised the Amiti and prepared herself for an assault.

* * *

1. Forgive me, readers, but I had to do it... Having our heroes kill each other so stupidly when the bulk of Ludveck's army is coming is something I couldn't let stand... Talk about anticlimatic, eh? But rest assured that there are fight scenes galore before the character studies (and the rest of the cast that hasn't shown up yet: Tormod, Stefan, Volke, etc) show up.


	13. Red Surge

Here's a fast update, mainly because I feel like it.

Chapter 13: Red Surge

Crimea was overrun.

From every angle of the compass rose, men began to mobilize. From the South and East, Confederate troops began to pour into sweet Crimea. At The Great Bridge and Flaguerre, hundreds of thousands of red and black armored soldiers charged through the gates, hungrily searching for any unarmed, foolish peasant or white armored warrior.

Ludveck and Elincia shared a torn Crimea. As more rebel soldiers began to appear from every angle imaginable, Elincia realized how greatly she neglected many of her countrymen. Otherwise, why would they betray her? Why would they aid Ludveck, who cared little for their individual lives? Because she focused on Delbray, and on Melior, she was unable to care for several of the more 'invisible' folk. She had ordered her respective Dukes to care for their territories, but Ludveck insisted on bribing them in order to bring about this revolution. Ludveck deceit was finally paying off, and once Elincia surrendered herself to him, his dreams would finally be reality.

* * *

Nepheene blinked as she heard the shouts.

Ain't the countryside supposed to be calm and proppa?

Dis wasn't right… Why were dem boyz yellin' and shoutin'?

Lifting her old, almost forgotten silver lance from her toolshed, and donning her old green armor, she sprinted towards the noise.

Damn… If only it wasn't so tight…

* * *

Brom snapped awake as a rock slammed through his window.

His daughters screamed as they hid behind the thickest concrete wall of their house.

He raised the nearest weapon he could find: an old machete his daughter Meg used for chores, and decided to set out.

Those who would dare threaten his family would have a can of whoopass opened on 'em! There was no questionin' dat logic! (1.)

* * *

Calill and Largo had a new frequent customer to their pub.

This woman liked to carry knives with her, and constantly tried to have small talk with Calill. It wasn't too discomforting to the sage, as she enjoyed blabbering on about whatever, but Largo found it creepy.

They learned that her name was Heather, and she seemed to dislike Largo… For no apparent reason at all.

"I think that oaf's holding ya back…" Heather murmured to Calill that day. "He's just a bag of muscles an' bones. Say, why don'tcha come tag along with me? You won't haveta sit in this boring old shack any more."

"Um… No. A first class mage needs a first class bodyguard, and Largo's been very good to me… I like being around him." Calill spoke a bit coldly, and Heather was quite taken aback. Calill had always been warm… Why was she using such a tone? (2.)

But as Heather prodded and Calill shrugged her off, they began to hear the smashing of glass and the screams of women and kids.

This was Crimea! How the hell could such things be happening?

Largo lifted a killer axe. "What's happening out there? If someone's hurting those people, then I'll smash him to bits!"

"Don't be too rash… You'll need my powers to fry them, after all." Calill sneered as she jumped up and grabbed an Arcfire tome.

Heather twirled the Stilleto in her hand. "Mind if I tag along?"

* * *

It was the judgment day for those warriors who would die for Elincia.

Ludveck's men began to riot in the streets of every city, town, or village they could convene in.

Nepheene, Brom, Calill, Largo, Heather, they were not enough to stem the tide…

Yet they were not alone…

As Ludveck's propaganda spread throughout the countryside, the people of Crimea claimed split loyalities. With their growing economy, people like Largo decided to build shops in that nation. Within those kinds of shops, insurgents and loyalists could gather to discuss whatever was going on.

Because he and Calill thought well of Elincia, Ike's Inn was, naturally, a loyalist stronghold. In Crimea, political gatherings were illegal thanks to the meddling of Crimea's noble bureaucracy, yet 'loyalists' respected Elincia's tireless attempt to improve the people's lives, and so they remained loyal to the government despite despising the snotty bluebloods who crowded around their Queen.

So the moment Largo, Calill, and Heather emerged from the pub, about twenty customers and tenants emerged too, each carrying a pitchfork, machete, or axe of some sort.

Not surprisingly, Begnion troops were sacking every building on sight, with some rebel groups actually helping them. After all, the Confederacy and Ludveck, which were far more powerful than their pathetic Queen, would have to do whatever it took to root out those who would support Elincia, and if a few innocent Crimean homes had to be sacrificed to burn out that witch's influence, then so be it.

When he saw what those thugs were doing to his neighbor's house, Largo could not control himself.

With his face contorted in rage, he roared and charged at those bandits with his axe swinging about.

A few vile heads were cleaved off vile shoulders as Largo took out several of those ruffians. From behind him Calill began to rain flames upon those Begnion butchers. As their foes burned the village loyalists started to root out occupied areas. This town was peaceful until these bastards came, and once they were driven out it would stay that way.

* * *

Lucia gulped.

These odds weren't pretty indeed. Just when they'd cleared out the area of enemy troops, and when Tanith started trying to talk to Ike while Sigrun greeted Elincia, another wave of enemy troops started to show up.

But that was an understatement.

Tens of thousands of red armored troops came at them from the south. Thousands of white armored warriors came at them from the north and west. But they knew that, if they headed East, they'd only be luring the enemy deeper, towards their precious Melior.

Elincia did not want Melior to face the wrath of the enemy… Yet she was in Ardor, which should be the headquarters for Ludveck's revolution, but Ludveck had escaped them, and he'd gotten his allies to take them out.

Lucia's eyes darted among their comrades. Where was Soren? She wanted to stand by him in this dark hour… They'd keep each other safe…

But then she saw him speaking frantically to Ike.

It was strange, really… She knew that Ike was the person who saved Soren long ago, and that Soren still felt that he owed Ike despite having risked his neck for the blue-haired warrior countless times over the years.

But she felt as though Soren was setting her aside for Ike, somehow…

It was selfish of her, and the more she thought about it, she felt ashamed. Yet, somehow, she couldn't stop holding this shameless point of view.

Soren… Had to move on…

He had already spent so much of his life for Ike, but now was the time for him to find that kind of deep connection with other people…

Though she wanted to hit herself for it, she hoped, no, she dared to expect that one of those people would be her…

Why was she so jealous? This wasn't like her… She was the Lady Lucia, not some common Noble Brat! She was proud of the way people respected her, but even more proud of the fact that she'd respect them in turn. Why, then, was she like this?

It would be better, then, if she backed off…

If this was what Soren chose, then she should respect his choice. If he trusted Ike more than her in this crisis, then she had to fall back and let Soren stay where he felt comfortable.

Wouldn't that be the right thing to do?

Lucia turned her head and sprinted towards her brother and Elincia. She was sure that Queen Crimea needed someone to confide in. Though Lucia was showing a façade of stability and calm, she could at least try to help her sister in a time like this.

* * *

"Ike… You got all that, right? Remember, keep the left flank in that formation, for I think that you and Geoffrey are the best people for the task. With Oscar and Astrid leading our rearguard, Tibarn and Kieran leading the frontline, Elincia and Sanaki holding our central positions, and Lucia and I in charge of the right flank, our position should remain secure no matter how fiercely Ludveck hurls his men at us. Now I'll go tell Lucia and the others about this." And with that Soren finally turned and walked off.

Ike merely smiled at the fact that he had the foresight to trust Soren with all their tactical plans. Even without Titania to give him pointers, Soren was more than capable of coming up with strategies to keep them all alive.

* * *

Soren walked around. He wanted to tell Lucia to help him contact Tibarn, Oscar, and Kieran for him while he informed Elincia and Sanaki of their plan. Astrid would definitely be with Oscar, after all, so they'd get everyone organized quickly.

But, no matter how hard he searched, she seemed to evade him.

Soren shook his head. He knew that girl was clever, but he would hope that she'd stop playing games and start staying serious.

Finally, he found Elincia talking to Sigrun. Walking up to her, he tried to get her attention. Sigrun noticed his frantic arm waving and decided to call him on it.

"Master Soren, are you well?"

"Lady Sigrun, please tell the Apostle to fall back into the center of our formation. We have to keep her safe at all costs… Tanith should also be with you, right?"

Sigrun nodded.

"And, your majesty, I wish that you'd be with the Apostle as well." Soren turned to Elincia.

"But, Master Soren, I wish to help my countrymen…"

"And get yourself killed in combat? Out of the question. You are far more crucial for this nation than anyone else here, besides Tibarn or Sanaki, is… No offense to you, Dame Sigrun…"

"None taken." Sigrun nodded. She knew that her duties to the Apostle included the willingness to get killed while defending her, and if that was one of her duties it was clear that she was less "important" compared to the Apostle. The same could easily be said of any non-royal compared to Elincia, which is why she took no offense at Soren's comment.

Elincia gulped.

"Lord Bastian will be with Geoffrey on our left flank… Lucia will be in the right flank with me. Know that we will all hold our positions to keep you and the Apostle safe. Besides, since you are in the center of our formation, you will be able to rush to the aid of any warriors in trouble… If that is what you desire." Soren sighed. Elincia was far too stubborn to have herself stay in one place.

Sigrun nodded. "If the Apostle is secure, Tanith and I, along with the finest of the Holy Guard, will come to the aid of anyone who needs us, Soren. Just tell the commanders of our respective flanks to call for us, and we will come."

Soren smiled and gave his head a slight nod. "Thank you, Sigrun… The more hands we have to face the enemy's flood, the better off we'll all be."

* * *

Noyce, Sothe, Enjorlas, and Micaiah counted what rations they had left…

The remainder, or lack thereof, was not pretty.

"We're going to have to make a raid on a fortification pretty soon. I'd hate to ask villagers for supplies when they can barely feed themselves." Enjorlas mumbled as he began to prepare his quiver and bow.

Noyce narrowed his eyes. "We'll need to keep our eyes peeled, then."

Micaiah began to mutter something with her eyes closed, and Sothe started to listen intently.

"I see a young woman… Her staff has been stolen from her… I hear her screaming a name: 'Aran…' I see two young men, one wearing thick blue chest armor and carrying a large sword, while another dons the armor of the average Daein soldier and is carrying a lance… They are both sneaking into a fortress… The girl is locked in a cage, there… But the rest of the vision is cloudy." Micaiah opened her eyes.

Noyce gulped. Blue armor, huge sword… That must be Gant! Black armor, lance, staff, 'Aran.' She must have been referring to Aran and Laura! He gave a quick glance to Enjorlas, and the young revolutionary nodded. Their old friends were in a fort nearby, trying to save Laura from Confederate scum who dared to kidnap her.

"We know those people, and we should hurry to rescue them." Enjorlas clenched his fist.

"Micaiah, do you know where that fort might be?" Sothe asked her.

She lifted her hand, and, while shaking viciously, pointed to the west.

Enjorlas nodded. "Then to the west we'll go!"

* * *

Gant cursed under his breath as he felt Aran's armor clink against his own.

"Who would've thought they'd find us!?" He growled as he raised his steel blade.

Aran shook his head. "I can't let Laura be at their mercy… We'll have to cut our way through." Aran hissed as he raised his own short spear.

As if on cue, about seventy men began to close in on the pair…

* * *

With a quick slash to the throat, the enemy watchman went down, and Sothe was able to sneak into the back entrance.

Slicing the lock open, he let the door swing just enough to have Enjorlas, Noyce, and Micaiah slip through.

The four of them had their eyes dart about; these were not friendly waters, after all.

Micaiah's ears were more sensitive than a beorc's, so she could hear some faint shouting. Judging by the noise, it wasn't far enough for comfort. "Noyce, Enjorlas." She spoke their names and both men turned to her.

"I think the guards are occupied elsewhere… Down that corridor…" Micaiah pointed down one of the hallways in the vast warehouse-like room before them. "Either we avoid that area entirely, or you two can go there and help whoever's distracting those guards. I can hear the sobs of the girl we seek, and Sothe and I will rescue her."

"It's smarter if we stay together… After all, the enemy could simply be relaxing in a lounge of some sort, getting merry with beer. If we rescue this girl, and you still hear that commotion, we could then check it out…" Enjorlas replied.

Noyce gave him a glance.

"What? It's not like the girl's really Laura and the distraction the enemy's facing isn't Gant or Aran, is it?"

"It's better if we investigate, just to be sure. We'll split into two groups, as you advised, Micaiah." Noyce crossed his arms.

Enjorlas sighed. This was a risky move that might not even be a good idea.

Micaiah nodded. "Then we'll go with that plan. Be careful, both of you."

* * *

Lucia stood with her sword stabbed into the ground. She sighed as she stared at a series of trees. Granted, enemy troops could leap out of those trees and kill her at any moment, but she really didn't care…

Soren… Why couldn't she just let go? He was his own man. He should do what he wanted. Why, then, was she being so damn **clingy**?!

The more she thought about it, the sicker she felt.

She grit her teeth as she tried to think about something else. Was Geoffrey fine? Of course he was… And she could start talking to him in moments if she wanted to. Elincia? Of course she was ok. Their forces would definitely make sure of that.

Bastian?

Ok, why did she just think about Bastian?

Lucia tried to burn the image of that insane sage from her brain. She couldn't let him infest her thoughts… The more she thought of that 'poet,' the more she wanted to puke.

But, honestly, she really didn't have any particular interest in the others. Yes, Astrid was friendly. Yes, Oscar and Kieran were decent knights, even if Kieran would object to the notion that Oscar was decent.

Lucia smiled. Kieran was quite hilarious at times, unlike Bastian, who was just plain annoying.

But, in the end, she didn't feel any particular interest in anyone besides Geoffrey, Elincia, Ilyana, Janaff, Soren, and perhaps Titania. But neither Ilyana nor Titania were here… And she didn't feel like talking to Janaff at the moment.

And she had just thought of Soren again, didn't she?

She sighed. Shouldn't she at least try to give him some space?

"Lucia?" She heard a voice behind him, and her soul nearly flew out of her body.

"S-Soren?" She gasped. Her entire body was tense as she forced herself to turn around and look at him.

He stared at her with concerned eyes.

"You've been avoiding me since the last battle… Did something happen? Are you well?"

"I'm… I'm fine."

Soren crossed his arms. "Don't give me that! You clearly aren't fine if you've been _avoiding_ me."

She winced at the word he emphasized.

"If you aren't well, then you can tell me, or Rhys, if that's how bad you feel. And here I thought you were more open than me." Soren chuckled a little. "You don't have to stand so lonely like that…" He put his hand on her shoulder and stared into her eyes.

"Soren…" She couldn't help it. The fact that he came running to her helped lessen her resolve to keep away from him. Maybe he did want her around.

She turned a little red.

"Do you have a fever?" He put his hand on her forehead. Shaking her head, she grabbed his wrist and stared intently at him.

"Lu-Lucia? What is it…?" Now it was Soren's turn to be startled.

"Soren… What do you feel about Ike?" She spoke slowly and clearly.

Soren gulped. Of all people, the only person capable of ambushing him and forcing him into a corner was this girl. Not even Shinon could trap Soren in a corner, but Lucia just had that talent… He could swear that she was far smarter than him.

"Ike… Is my brother. He stood by me when no one else would. I'd do anything for him… Can we not talk about this?" His eyes started to dart to the side, away from her. He'd do anything to avoid her piercing gaze right now.

"Soren…" Her gaze started to pierce through his brain.

"Y-Yes?" He stammered. With sweat pouring down his back, he wouldn't be surprised if someone like Shinon or Boyd spotted him and started laughing hysterically.

"What do you think…" She paused for a second to let the words sink in. "About me…?"

The moment she said it, she turned her head. How could she? How could she force him to choose between her or Ike? What kind of bitch had she become?

The look on his face was like a noose, crushing her neck as she saw his face contort. She wanted to cry. What had she become?

She immediately let go of his wrist.

"I'm sorry… I had no idea what came over me." She muttered as she turned away.

He stared at her. She looked so ashamed. And he sighed. He stepped forward and put both hands on her shoulders.

"No, no, this is bothering you. I'll tell you everything." He spoke while staring right into her eyes.

"Soren?"

"Ike's my brother, and that will never change. I still owe so much to him. That will never change. Ike is one of the most important people to me… If he died, I don't know what I'd do…

"But he's not the only person who determines my life…" Soren stopped for a moment, letting the words sink in for her.

Lucia stared at him with her mouth open. Instead of giving her the slap she deserved, he was willing to be honest and tell her… Did she really deserve someone like him?

"You… Are just as important as he… I know that you might feel ignored in favor of him, and I'm sorry, but Ike is so important to me…"

She didn't know what to say.

"But so are you, and if you were to fall I'd probably shatter. Whatever façade of confidence I might show, it's due to your support that's gotten me this far. Ike only helped keep my body alive… You've kept my soul intact… Your death would shatter me just like Ike's death would kill me. I would no longer be a person if either of you were to fall… That's why I always try to get you behind me during combat… I despise myself whenever you are hurt."

"S-Soren…"

"I… Love you… And that will never change…" Soren spoke seriously this time.

"So-" Before she could finish calling his name, he sealed her lips with a kiss. (3.)

* * *

1. Firstly, this 'country accent' is based on Ork speak (at least the orks in Warhammer 40K), and, secondly, Radiant Dawn made a lot of weird changes, the first of which making Brom and Tauroneo, who always knew how to wield swords upon promotion in Path of Radiance, scrap swords in favor of axes.

Axes are for Generals who are far more vigorous in the front lines, making them more suitable for Gatrie. Tauroneo is tactical, and not so furious, thus making axes an unwieldy weapon for his fighting style. Brom, as a farmer, would probably have a use for all three weapons, so he should be able to use lances, swords, and axes rather than scrapping swords entirely… And Gatrie would probably find a sword the least appealing of weapons when compared to his personal fighting style (aka, running into the thick of the fight and hacking at everything around him.)

Yes, Ike (or Gant, who has his screentime later in this chapter) would tell you that a sword is perfect for cutting away at limbs, but sword-wielders (or the people who start with swords and no other weapons) in general tend to have trouble carrying swords that would actually be capable of immediately splicing a man in half. Lucia is not one to run around with a silver blade, after all. Thus, to me, based on their fighting styles Brom should be able to use any non-magical weapon that isn't a bow or crossbow or knife, Tauroneo should use lances and swords, and Gatrie should use lances and axes. And that's how I'll write this story. :P

2. Largo is not wounded, for in these circumstances I think he's definitely needed in Crimea's service.

3. And this, readers, is from a guy who's never been in love. I pretty much just scared myself right now. XD


	14. Arise, Warriors!

I've been churning out updates lately, haven't I?

**Author's Note**: Somehow I don't think the last chapter was that amazing. No doubt it was good enough to take my older fic "Meaningful Ways to Pass the Time" and make it look like some third grade book report on a ten cent romance novel, but, personally, I'm shocked that people liked it

With that said, well, did you expect Lucia to slap him or anything? Lol, thanks for your support, and on with the fic:

Chapter 14: Arise, Warriors!

Though they stood there, holding each other as their comrades frantically ran about behind them, Soren and Lucia knew that they had to let go.

Tanith would definitely scold them if she spotted their 'escapade.' After all, this was a war. There was little time for romantic distractions. They were strategists, so they should know well enough that friends could die if they spent too much time thinking about each other instead of the battle.

"Soren… I… I'm sorry…" Her eyes started to water.

"For what?" He gave her long hair a gentle stroke.

"For all of this… For the fact that we could die in an hour and you'd… You'd die knowing that I'd follow you shortly after…"

"Lucia… Despite the circumstances, I couldn't be happier…"

"Soren?"

"You and I are here, spending this moment… I've read reports of lovers who never knew that their love was requited, and both would die on the field of battle. I've even learned of romance between officers on opposing sides! Needless to say, there have been so many tragedies on the field. I'm glad that I can spend this moment with you, even if this is our last…"

"Soren… I am too… Don't you dare die on me."

"Hah! You don't need to be worried. Rather, I'll hand that request back to you. Don't you die on me either!"

Lucia couldn't help but smile, and pull him closer to her. They would make it through this, and with their combined smarts they'd make sure that everyone else would pull through in one piece, too.

* * *

And so Geoffrey and Zelgius stood side by side, with Tibarn and the other royals watching from a distance. Soren and Lucia, along with Bastian and Tanith, stood on standby while the two commanders spoke.

"Warriors of the Coalition, hear me! Today, we stand ready, prepared for the coming storm. The nation of Crimea has been overrun, with enemy forces deep within our territory. But we are not afraid! Today, the states of Crimea, Gallia, and Phoenicis are joined as one. But they are not alone. We of the Begnion Imperial Army and Holy Guard stand beside them, and once we reach the eastern border, I'm sure that the Daein Loyalist Army would be glad to assist us as well. Alone, each of us has such limited power, but, combined, we are mighty. We are the Tellius Coalition! We shall overcome the Confederate horde! Together, my comrades, we are unstoppable!" As he raised his mighty blade, the warriors before him cheered.

Ike crossed his arms. Zelgius was one good speaker. It was fitting that he was both a warrior and statesman.

Geoffrey blinked. This was rather embarrassing. What was he supposed to say if Zelgius had already fired up their morale?

Soren made some motions with his hands. Geoffrey turned to him, and Soren continued to dance frantically. Bastian watched, amused, and Geoffrey nodded.

"It's times like these when we're like a family." Crimea's finest commander yelled.

Soren facepalmed.

Ike glanced strangely at his best friend. Geoffrey's speech sounded familiar.

"And because of this, you must not forget how crucial our situation is. When the enemy seems to be towering over you, too powerful for you to handle alone, do not forget that we are a family. If you must fall back, fall back, but as long as you can stall our foes and thus keep others alive, I'd rather you do so…"

Soren eagerly nodded his head. Now it was Lucia's turn to give her Soren a confused glance.

"General Zelgius is right. We are a Coalition. As long as we stand united, we will be invincible. That is why you must be brave, my brothers and sisters. That is why you cannot be afraid. Yet that is also why you must be prudent. Keep your wits about you. When the enemy is strong, don't engage him. Pester him. Pelt him with arrows and projectiles and dodge him. Make him enraged and avoid his angry slashes.

"Remember, life is your first priority. Keep yourself alive, and do whatever it takes to keep your comrades alive. If you truly think that your strength is not enough, then leave the clearing of foes for us; for your more powerful comrades. Life is what we warriors of the Coalition shall protect, and that alone will be reason enough for history to smile upon us. Now let us go, my siblings! Let's save Tellius from the grasp of these madmen!" Geoffrey raised his spear, and more people cheered.

Soren let out a relieved sigh.

"Soren, what's going on?" Lucia asked.

The sage smiled. "Your brother was worried that Zelgius's speech would leave him with nothing to say, thus making him look like an idiot. I tried to express to him a good outlook to tell the troops, through hand gestures and a short interpretive dance, if need be. I'm glad he was smart enough to come up with enough decent material on his own."

Lucia smiled too. It seemed that he really was warming up to people.

* * *

Another one of Izuka's cronies collapsed on the ground with an arrow in his skull.

Noyce and Enjorlas cut their way through this Daein horde. They could only wish that these warriors had not chosen this tainted path, but they could not convince these brothers to surrender…

After a good twenty minutes of pure gore and pain for those who would stand against the people, Gant and Aran were finally reunited with Noyce.

His iron blade was covered with blood as he dragged it behind him. "That… Was… Exhausting." Gant panted.

Aran sighed. "Noyce, how many guys do you have with you?"

"There are two more of us, and neither of them were at Nebula, but one of them is a veteran from the Mad King's War." Noyce replied.

"Nice. It's good to know that vets who weren't part of the Loyalist army can help us." Gant smirked.

"But he's a kid." Enjorlas pointed out.

"A kid? Isn't this borderline illegal?" Aran's eyes widened.

"Don't worry. He's technically a teen. Plenty of people have done great things as teens in times like these." Noyce waved his hand.

"Did ya send them to save Laura?" Gant asked, wanting the conversation to get to a point.

"Of course we did. Who do you think we are?" Enjorlas laughed.

Gant glared at him, and he immediately went silent. (1.)

"Anyway, let's go. Once we've all regrouped, we can plan our next moves." Noyce sighed.

Aran, Enjorlas, and Gant nodded as they quickly moved out.

* * *

Sanaki fingered her Cymbaline tome.

"Apostle, the enemy has reached our frontline. Tibarn and Kieran, with Skimir's assistance, should be more than enough to hold that position… However, enemy forces have been spotted to the left and rear. Do you want us to begin countermeasures?" Zelgius asked as Sigrun and Tanith adjusted their armor.

"Has Master Soren made any note of the situation?"

"No. The right flank has merely ordered several paladins to swap their melee weapons for ranged ones, but they have not moved from their posts at all."

"Then neither will we. To break the formation and cause chaos within our own ranks is something we cannot afford to do."

Elincia gulped as she eyed Sanaki's calmness. Geoffrey was among those in the left flank, and if they were about to face the enemy… Well, she couldn't just let him get wounded without coming to him, but to leave Sanaki here would be an act of ill faith, would it not? Crimea's Queen shook her head. What should she do?

* * *

Hundreds of fireballs and arrows crashed down upon the heads of enraged swordsmen. Thousands of white armored soldiers exchanged blows. A few of Elincia's men recognized their sisters among the healers of Ludveck's army, and more of them noted their own brothers standing before them.

Even with the enemy smashing against his frontline, Geoffrey yelled for order, and Ike had them charge. (2.)

He stood in front of his men, much like his father when Daein fought Begnion. Ike raised Ettard and plunged into the fray, swinging the mighty blade for all it was worth. He was the son of Greil. He was the son of a legend, and in the eyes of Crimean citizens everywhere he himself was a legend. Those Crimean troops who would dare face him were intimidated by his glare alone.

Geoffrey sighed as more soldiers began to run after Ike, yet the Crimean General's fellow archers stood back. They were not the type to go careening down a mountain to meet the foe head on. No, ranged warriors fought differently than their more vigorous comrades.

The archers, mounted archers, mages and a few more prudent paladins stared at General Geoffrey, awaiting his orders.

With a sigh, he gave them.

"Back up our advancing allies. Do not let a single enemy soldier take the advantage over them. Those of you with longbows or far-reaching magic, take down any Bishops you find. It's horrible that we have to attack healers, but if they insist on healing the enemy and ignoring our pains, then we have to make sure they can't continue providing one-sided medical aid, but I'd rather you disable rather than kill them."

With that said, the ranged warriors of Crimea moved out, reinforcing their comrades and Lord Ike, who were rather recklessly striking the enemy before them.

* * *

"Lady Leanne… You shouldn't head out. It's dangerous." The old crow's eyes darted uneasily as Leanne nearly slipped through her window.

Nealuchi hated to do this, but it was under Naesala's orders. Nestling did not want Phoenicis to know of Leanne's location.

"Tibarn… I... Need to see Tibarn."

"Yes, but later. Once this war is over, and Phoenicis surrenders, then you can see Tibarn."

"Why… Why I stuck here?" (3.)

"Well…" Nealuchi gulped.

Kilvas had conducted a raid on Gallia some time during the Confederate assault. They had hoped to assist their Begnion allies in the sacking of the beast tribe's haven. Reyson and Leanne were honored guests, and by all rights were legal residents of Gallia. Thus, during a raid Naesala spotted Leanne, and quickly captured her, but mighty Giffca killed off Naesala's finest guards and was able to keep the ravens from taking Reyson as well. Reyson, enraged beyond measure, fell ill and was still recovering in his quarters in Zarzi, Gallia's capital.

Nealuchi reprimanded Naesala for kidnapping the heron. But no matter how he tried to get nestling to return Leanne to Gallia and keep his talons off of her, Naesala refused to listen. But Phoenicis and Kilvas were at war, so hawks began to strike ravens close to the border between both nations. Naesala decided to personally assist his raven troops in holding off the hawk aggressors, as well as discuss terms of their alliance with the Confederacy with Lekain. Thus, he left Leanne in Castle Kilvas, hoping to make her his bride once the war came to a close.

Nealuchi, knowing that any attempt to free Leanne would be treason, and that Phoenicis hawks might very well tear him apart if he tried to tell Tibarn where she was, decided to care for Leanne himself. It was horrible, true, but he could do nothing else.

Leanne had been kept in a dark room, unable to see anything with food handed to her once in a while. Nealuchi decided to bend the edict a bit and let her be in a room with a window, but he had to keep her from escaping. Ravens who spotted her would force her to return to her 'cell,' and hawks who spotted her would report this to Tibarn, who would likely order a raid on Kilvas itself.

Nealuchi did not want Kilvas to suffer any longer. Yet, at the same time, it was horrible for Leanne to be forced into this prison, forced to become Queen of Kilvas. Naesala was her old friend, nothing more or less, and she had no intention of going any further for him. Yet, it came to this, and Nealuchi could not betray Nestling despite what Nestling was doing.

But Leanne was stubborn. She would not stay patiently in her room, and Nealuchi knew that chances of a Crimean/Gallian/Phoenician victory were slim. Though Gallia had defeated its invaders, Nealuchi was sure that once Crimea fell there would be no second victory for Caineghis.

"I… Have to leave…" Leanne stared intently at Nealuchi.

The old crow gulped. What should he do?

* * *

Tauroneo scoffed as Goran began a Daein cavalry charge.

"Goran… He was one of the first to cheer as Prince Pelleas took the throne. It seems that he was a mere toady. Men, we shall make short work of this traitor." The former Steadfast Rider slammed the butt of the Wishblade into the ground.

A Crimean Paladin came riding in from behind him, and Tauroneo turned around.

"What is it, soldier?"

"General! Crimean rebels have appeared! They opened fire upon General Titania's position. We of the rear guard might need wyvern aerial reinforcements if we are to hold off the enemy." She replied, her face as pale as a pile of winter snow.

"What?" Tauroneo shook his head. This couldn't be happening. "Jill, hurry and take a company of our finest riders with you… I can only hope the line will stay strong. Zihark, you and I must ensure that our own line is not breeched. If either line is broken, the enemy will slaughter us all."

Zihark gave a nod and ordered their melee forces to prepare themselves.

The Crimean Paladin nodded. "I'm sorry, General, for what's happening here."

"Don't be sorry, dame knight. Rather, stand and fight! Hurry and help General Titania… She's a mighty and skilled warrior, but I fear that even she has her limits."

"Understood… May Ashera be with us, General." With that, the paladin reared her horse and rode after Jill.

"Aye, may Ashera watch over us all." Tauroneo glanced uneasily at the wall of Daein troops charging towards him.

* * *

Goran smirked as the Daein Loyalist Army grouped itself on the other side of the bridge.

Turning to his right, the Sentinel asked one of his Snipers a simple question.

"Are our Crisis Knights prepared?"

"Sir, with only two knights currently in service, it would be unwise to send them out immediately." The sniper replied with a furrowed brow.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes, but it would be unwise to deploy them."

"Deploy both of them now. I need them to hack through the enemy's lines."

"Sir, they outrank everyone in this unit except for you. What gives you the right to force them to certain death…?"

"If you intend to become a Marksman, or, better yet, if you intend to survive this day, then I'd advise you to follow my orders and relay my command to your superiors, warrior. Unless, of course, you'd like to have your head decorate my spear."

The Sniper shut his mouth as he rushed to do his duty.

"And so General Tauroneo shall face the finest of our warriors. Can he handle their strength?" Goran laughed loudly.

* * *

Tauroneo spotted two strange riders heading for him. They both carried silver axes, perfect for testing out the sword he just bought. Raising his silver blade, he readied himself for their arrival.

"Traitor of Daein, today you shall face our blades!" One of them yelled.

Tauroneo laughed. "You stand by the very man who butchered our Prince, and yet you call me a traitor? Funny how politics works."

The first Crisis knight raised his axe, and, with a yell, charged forward, ready to slam it into Tauroneo's skull. The knight, however, was ready for him. Despite the fact that the crisis knight outranked and, theoretically, had more experience than Tauroneo, the warrior missed as the general simply stepped aside. Tauroneo heaved his silver blade and swung it forward, slamming into his foe's chest and taking him down with that single blow.

The other knight gasped at his fallen comrade. How could a mere General take them down? Unfortunately, he did not notice Zihark as the swordsmaster flew forward with his killing edge. With a quick slash to the jugular vein, the other crisis knight perished immediately. (4.)

Goran's jaw hit the floor. Two of the Confederacy's strongest warriors were slain just like that. They were lent to him by Master Lekain himself! What was this Daein warrior going to tell Master Lekain when he defeated Tauroneo? Goran gulped, he had expected an easy victory by sending in those two veteran warriors, and now his trial would be much, much harder.

* * *

"Apostle Sanaki, all four outer flanks have engaged the enemy. It seems that Ludveck and Valtome have found it wise to strike our positions with cavalry, thus allowing them to hit the right flank as mercilessly as our left flank. With Ludveck's rebels hitting our rear, Confederate troops striking the frontline, and a mixed force striking both sides, it's only a matter of time before either a Crimean rebel or a Confederate soldier makes it into our central position."

"So I'm assuming that you want to know whether I'd let you join the thick of it, right, Zelgius?"

"Yes, Apostle."

"Very well. Help Tibarn hold the frontline. Tanith, you will provide Ike with assistance in the left flank. Sigrun, be prepared to strike the enemy on our right flank. I will personally assist our troops at the rear… Elincia, the central flank is yours to command." Sanaki nodded as she readied her Cymbaline, Bolgagone, and her Arcwind tomes while wielding a trusty Fortify staff.

Elincia sighed. "Tanith, hold, I'm coming with you. Soldiers of the Central flank, split into four groups and head as reinforcements into each outer group. We cannot let our comrades die without lifting a single weapon to assist them. Go now, and do your best for the Coalition!"

And with that, the heroes of the Holy Guard, and Crimea's Queen herself entered the fray, but would their strength be enough?

* * *

1. Yes, Enjorlas is my attempt to take the character from Les Miserables and revert him into a Fire Emblem character. As you can imagine, his proud nature doesn't fit with rough people like Gant, who's hardly the sort of guy who would let people torment him during times like the French Revolution. I still wonder how Enjorlas and Grantaire were able to get along in the first place.

2. Lawful Good VS Chaotic Good. Some say that Elincia wants a boy who is totally different than her, and though I do think that she respects Ike, FE10 seemed to show her change into someone who would want a man who could help her, rather than impress her. Geoffrey fits the former; Ike fits the latter, even if Geoffrey is pretty manly on his own.

3. Leanne is unfamiliar with the common tongue, as she has been.

4. Crisis Knight: Third tier Paladin. Wields axes and bows. So named because, by wielding the axe, they strive to master both melee and ranged combat (since hand axes are relatively weak and tomahawks are rare, and axes are the strongest in raw might). Thus, in a crisis, they would be fully capable of rushing to aid allies and striking the enemy from both near and far. Can be distinguished by a reddish decal on the armor of both horse and rider. Begnion particularly loves these knights because of their skill and because they are difficult to distinguish from ordinary paladins (since Begnion armor is red), making them perfect shock troops.

Gold Knights, unlike Radiant Dawn, can either wield Axes and Lances, Swords and Lances, or Swords and Axes. Silver Knights are more rare (at least theoretically) with the ability to either wield only Swords and Bows or Lances and Bows. By definition, Titania is a Gold Knight and Geoffrey is a Silver Knight. However, all playable units (if this fic was a game) are still second tier. I'll decide what classes they'll end up being (though Geoffrey and Titania are locked as the above classes, since Paladins choose their final weapons at second tier, and promote to their final forms accordingly.)

And, besides, if a sword-mounted knight (first tier) were to take a bow as a second weapon, he must be foolish, since Silver Knights are mostly pro at bows and mediocre at melee. Swords are practically only melee weapons, and are the weakest form of non-knife, non-magical weapon at that. Lance knights taking bows makes more sense since they already had lots of experience with javelins. Bow knights are stuck being Silver knights because Silver knights focus on ranged. Gold Knights are the melee experts. Crisis Knights try to be both.


	15. Lake of Blood

Long chapter, while I update my slowly rotting Dynasty Warriors fics and figure out how to progress in this story arc.

Attention: My readers from Radiant Dawn, I apologize, but the Dawn Brigade (and the OCs I added in their ranks) are hereby given the rank of "secondary characters." That means that they've been shafted. I want to return the status of main character to some of the people who had that honor in Gallian Nights, as well as give light to people like Jill and Tauroneo, and I don't need Sothe, or Micaiah, or someone like Gant or anyone else to continue making me groan writing about them. XD

Chapter 15: Lake of Blood

Those Confederate and Crimean rebel soldiers foolish enough to stray too far to the southwest found themselves literally run over by the massive wave of Gallian forces pouring into Crimea.

After all, just before the Confederate army engaged Tibarn's unit, Ranulf ordered a hawk in his command to flee to Gallia in order to call for help.

He had no idea how prudent of a move that was.

Though Gallia had taken many casualties from both its Civil War and the Confederate attack, and though Begnion could still send troops over the mountains if they wished, the fact was that Caineghis had no intention to let them conquer Crimea. Once Crimea fell, Gallia would have no beorc allies. Gallia would have lost the only ally that could hold off the Begnion northern flood for them while they began the long road to recovery.

Thus, even if a thousand more of their siblings had to die for Crimea's sake, Caineghis was willing to make that sacrifice. In the end, they had no choice. Crimea's defeat would be their deaths. Without Elincia, Caineghis would find his nation overrun. Phoenicis, too, could not fight on its own. In the name of both laguz nations, the warriors of Gallia, with several hawks swooping high above them, rushed over the plains to save Ranulf and their friends…

But thanks to Nasir's machinations, the proud soldiers of the Confederacy found fewer and fewer dragons among them. (1.) Captain Kezhda, the warrior in command of these reinforcing units, knew this, and was confident that with Gallian support, Elincia and the rest of the Coalition's army could fend off their Confederate aggressors, and the enemy would be destroyed. (2.)

Among Kezhda's troops, a more youthful female cat scurried forth. She wore a gauntlet on her right arm/foreleg with a single dark green band encircling it, symbolizing her rank of Corporal. It was a very lowly rank, yes, but she had joined the army only recently. She joined because she saw what was going on, and despite the fact that her old friend Lyre would probably scold her for being so rash as to enter the battlefield, she couldn't just watch while her homeland burned.

Now she was a Corporal, and once Caineghis ordered their army to move north, she eagerly volunteered to join Captain Kezhda. After all, Zihark was somewhere to the north… She hadn't seen him in years.

Releane shook her head. The next few weeks would be rather bloody at best, but even so she knew that she chosen this path, and there was no turning back.

* * *

Soren gulped as he saw a few of the paladins in his unit, who trusted him with their lives, fall before the mass of Begnion warriors that were pounding their lines.

Soren heard a shout to his right, and a soldier in Lucia's unit came running towards him, yelling at the top of his lungs: "Master Soren! We're taking casualties in the south flank! Please, get some fire supp… Dear god!"

The soldier suddenly ducked as a huge Begnion wyvern knight slammed onto the ground. With a sneer, both rider and wyvern towered over the soldier.

"Thoron!" Soren commanded, sending thunderbolts crashing down on the enemy warrior and his mount, frying both to death.

The soldier looked at Soren fearfully, and the strategist nodded. "I'll backup our frontline troops myself."

"Soren…" Lucia ran over to him from his left, as both of them had soldiers in their unit that weren't exactly close by them, due to the chaos of battle.

"And you'll come with me." He smiled at her.

She nodded, though her smile failed to mask the worry in her eyes.

* * *

Djor sighed as his unit wrestled with the men under Oscar's command.

"There was a time when Begnion ruled over all, yet we are forced to acknowledge Ludveck as a ruler in his own right… What madness is this?"

But, like many arrogant, senile old men, Djor failed to realize that the majority of 'friendly' troops around him were Ludveck's own warriors, and they were not amused at his lack of respect for them.

"Why did we have to accept an alliance with these Confederate swine?" A Crimean rebel sniper groaned to a nearly identical colleague. (3.)

Fortunately, this lack of cooperation among the united enemy front made the battle much easier for Gallia's finest soldiers.

Lethe noted her sister's worried face as she rammed her claws into the face of a charging Crimean rebel soldier. Needless to say, the Begnion archers that were supposed to give him covering fire just backed away from their dying comrade instead of trying to shoot Lethe down and keep her away from him.

"What are you so worried about?" Lethe hissed in the Gallian tongue.

Lyre didn't answer. She merely ignored Lethe and swiped at the neck of a Begnion armored knight. With a calculated blow, she was able to force the lightness of the knight's helmet to backfire on the poor warrior, causing him to stagger, as if stunned. With swift motions she dodged his panicked spear thrust, used one paw to rip off his helmet, and used her teeth to clamp down on his head. The tough armored shell that had kept him safe had been eliminated, and the soldier's head was crushed 'neath her jaws.

The blood in her mouth was bitter, and did nothing to get her to stop thinking about him.

Muarim… He couldn't have fallen to the enemy, could he? The Confederacy's strength was practically overflowing, but he should have held his own, right?

"Lyre! Look out!" Lethe screamed, but her little sister failed to notice as a dark shadow covered her body, and the magic circle of a curse appeared on her chest. Violet fireballs surrounded Lyre and slammed into her from all angles, and Lyre screeched and her body flew several feet into the air, slamming into the ground with a sickening thud…

A Druid approached Lyre, who tried her best to get up and strike her foe, and Lethe glanced at the tome in his hand. Damn! If only they had a sage in their ranks… Otherwise she had no idea what tome that was… But, for the first time in her life, Lethe was struck with fear and unable to make a move.

"Luna…" The Druid sneered as he raised his arm yet again.

An identical circle appeared, and Lethe's mind raced frantically. She had heard of Luna… It was a spell rarely seen in the past, but some laguz slaves remembered their masters having practiced Dark magic in secret… Luna was not a rare tome, in fact it was rather common despite being officially banned by the Begnion Empire.

Luna… Unlike Flux or Gespent, the weaker spells of Elder magic, Luna was very powerful. The only reason why it was not uncommon and not so difficult to use was that Luna was a relatively heavy tome, and it also had its power unfocused on a target. Luna was designed to strike a group of enemy soldiers quickly by firing itself at the foe rather than forming under and eventually surrounding them like the other spells of Dark magic. (4.)

Lethe let out a roar and pounced forward, shoving Lyre out of the way with her rear leg. The magic circle appeared, but was unable to form a concrete target for the spell, thus making the fire balls strike soil instead.

Having thus rescued her sister, Lethe proceeded to charge towards the Druid, who cast Luna on her, but she leapt high up, evading the circle, and finally came crashing down on her foe, slashing him to pieces with her claws. Vengeance was quite sweet indeed.

The Druid smiled upon his death, flashing an eerie smile that pierced her soul. Lethe shivered as she smacked the dead face aside, keeping its gaze off of her.

Two Crimean rebel snipers had watched the Begnion Druid's death, but did nothing to stop the cat as she tore their 'comrade' apart. The Snipers approached Lethe moments after he fell, though, but their laguz bows were not much of a threat. She cracked one's neck soon enough.

The other, however, immediately took cover behind a tree when he noted his comrade's swift defeat. And when Lethe tried to approach him, he popped out with a strange, flat bow, that had itself attached to a wooden plank. The Sniper squeezed something below the plank, and Lethe suddenly had an arrow strike her on the forehead.

The cat howled, and the Sniper approached her with his crossbow with a sneer. But before he could do anything, Lyre pounced at him from the side and stabbed her claws into his back. As he screamed, she used her other paw to cut him down.

Both sisters were wounded now, and as other troops from their fellow left flankers started pouring in, they purred as allied healers immediately began to mend their wounds as their comrades rushed in to cover them all.

* * *

Tauroneo swung his spear left and right, yet the enemy still stood strong.

Zihark began to pant. There was no way they could hold the line at this rate.

Suddenly, though, a dark shadow began to overtake several of their foes, and they started to scream as many of them were torn apart by violet fireballs.

A single man, wearing a thick dark robe, appeared in the center of the bridge. Raising his hand, he forced more Confederate troops to shirk away from those violet flames.

At that moment, Titania and Jill finally rushed to the General's side.

"Commander, our rear guard is mopping up whatever's left of the rebel wave… We didn't spot any additional troops, so we came to help you." Titania explained.

Tauroneo smiled. "Thank you, commander. I'm glad to see that you are well." He could have sworn he saw Titania blush, if only for just a moment. Pointing a hand at the mysterious Druid, he spoke "look there."

Jill nodded. "If that dark sage is an enemy of the Confederacy, then we should try to have him ally with us. His powers might be useful."

"Agreed. Jill, take some of our wyvern knights and provide that mage with cover. Once we've taken out the remaining Confederates on this side of the bridge, we will join you." Tauroneo nodded as he clanked forward towards their surviving enemies.

"General, you shan't fight alone!" Titania called as she rode after him, swinging her axe and smacking enemy grunts far, far away.

* * *

Soren raised his hand, sending more thunderbolts crashing down on the wave of Confederate paladins rushing towards him.

Lucia ran forth and hacked away at whatever mass of enemy soldiers she could reach. There was no reason for her to hold back, not when these people would kill her friends and loved ones so eagerly. With an elegant grace, she ripped through the enemy lines, watching as scores of foes collapsed on the ground or shattered into dozens of tiny pieces.

Soren's eyes darted from the foes he was frying to Lucia's elegant form as she tore through another platoon of halberdiers. Apparently the enemy found it wise to gather similar units together in an attack, rather than sending mixed platoons of various soldiers to help combat the various forms of enemies they might face. Unfortunately for these lance wielders, Lucia was skilled enough to avoid their thrusts and thus negate their range advantage, allowing her to get in close and slice them apart.

The sage shook his head. No, he couldn't let Lucia distract him. This was probably why it was a bad idea to go further with her…

But he blushed. Then again, was it really that bad of a decision?

After all, now he had something and someone to fight for, instead of just running after Ike half the time. Besides, Ike was probably relieved to not have Soren tag along with him so often anymore.

Soren sighed as he proceeded to fry a few more grunts that charged at him. If he let Lucia distract him too much, his friends would get hurt. He had to focus on more critical priorities, after all.

* * *

Astrid twirled an arrow and fired it, nailing an enemy Wyvern knight in the head.

"We're part of the rearguard… How could Wyvern knights show up here so quickly?" Oscar mused aloud as he slammed his lance into an advancing Crimean rebel halberdier.

He snapped out of his thoughts, though, when a thousand Begnion paladins started showing up intermingled with the horde of Crimean rebel troops.

"How is this possible? This many reinforcements?! We won't be able to hold the line!" Ranulf hissed worriedly as the enemy dived forward.

Few hawks and Gallians peppered the rearguard. Most of the former were in the 'frontline' flank with Tibarn, and most of the latter were under Lethe's command in the left flank. This proved to be a bad move, as there weren't enough soldiers strong enough to withstand the paladin charge. Gatrie hurled his axe forward at these aggressors, and though he cut down quite a few paladins on his own, his strength was definitely not enough.

Ranulf pounced and took down several halberdiers and paladins, swinging his paws and smacking any fool who got in his way, yet he felt the searing pain of spears getting rammed into his chest, and the cat didn't have enough endurance to withstand all this pain…

Oscar gulped. Were they meant to fail?

Surely enough, the line of Crimean Royal soldiers fell back as the wave of enemy cavalry surged forth. Oscar rode in the middle of these aggressors, hacking away with his spear, with Ranulf leaping into their midst as well. But both men were exhausted, and defeat was quite evident…

Boyd and Rolf, busy picking off enemy Pegasus knights who tried to ambush their friends, noted the enemy advance. Boyd was still uneasy with the bow, so he was glad to set it aside for his axe as he rushed into the fray. If Ranulf and Oscar couldn't handle them, well, then their army needed his badassery in order to survive.

Rolf gulped as he pulled out his longbow. He couldn't join the frontline, but he could definitely pick off enemy soldiers from a distance. The more soldiers he sniped, the quicker this pointless fight would end… Rolf gulped. Could Mist be facing similar odds on the right flank?

At that point, the mass of Begnion Confederate and Crimean Rebel were cheering. Their foes were being overwhelmed. The brave warriors who stood for Elincia, Sanaki, Gallia, and Phoenicis were falling back. Sooner or later they'd win…

But neither Oscar nor Ranulf nor Boyd nor Gatrie nor Rolf expected to hear a certain voice cry out among their lines.

"Cymbeline! Embolden our spirits and manifest the scope of Ashera's wrath! Burn, you wretched traitors!" Sanaki yelled as she rushed towards her beaten comrades and raised her right hand.

A huge meteor descended upon the Confederate horde. Oscar quickly grabbed Boyd and lifted him onto the saddle, while Gatrie ducked for cover and Ranulf fled the scene. Sanaki gulped, knowing that Gatrie would probably get caught in the blast, but she could only hope for the best.

The entire Confederate army was engulfed in a sea of fire. Their screams were muffled by Cymbeline's roar, and the smell of burnt flesh and ash quickly filled the air.

Sanaki ran forth and raised Fortify. "Holy stave, do whatever you can to help Sir Gatrie and the other knights!" (5.)

Ranulf, who had rushed to her side, found himself rejuvenated, and his wounds closed in upon themselves. The same went for Oscar and Boyd, and all three men glanced uneasily at the large black mound that was Gatrie.

They heard a cough.

"Damn… You sure know how to make an entrance, your majesty." Gatrie smirked as he tried to get up, weakly brushing the ash off his armor.

Sanaki smiled. "You need rest, Sir knight. Congratulations, my warriors. The enemy has been defeated." She turned and looked at the vast burnt crater filled before her. It was pitiful that so many had to die, but if they would do whatever it took to kill her friends and warriors, then she would have to do whatever it took to protect the people she cared about, and so it came to this.

* * *

As their axes hacked through Izuka's lines, the Daein Loyalist wyvern knights were quite surprised to find that the lone Druid they were sent to protect was clearing out the bridge faster than their entire squadron. Izuka's forces fled to the eastern part of the bridge, and Goran stood behind his broken frontline, prepared in case that lone Druid decided to finish him off.

The Druid turned, and Jill flew to him.

Titania gasped when he saw who that Druid was.

"Jill! Get back!" She yelled, but an inexplicable wind blew from the south, carrying away her words.

Bob grinned as the wyvern knight landed in front of him.

"Sage, we noticed that you were under fire by those Confederate troops, so we came to your aid. I am Colonel Jill of the Daein Loyalist Army. We intend to liberate Daein from King Izuka's clutches and from Begnion Confederate influence. If I may, why were you in the midst of this battle?" Jill bowed politely.

Bob nodded in kind. "I am Bob, a traveling Druid. Since the Confederacy lifted the centuries old ban on the practice of Elder magic, I've emerged from hiding, wandering along in the search for knowledge. Since Crimea still upholds the ban, I disguised myself as a Fire Sage and heard that your army was among the forces trying to free Tellius from the Confederacy's influence. Though I am grateful that the Confederacy had the foresight to lift the ban on Elder magic, I do agree that their attempts to pillage and slaughter so many civilians are vile and amoral.

"Furthermore, I hear that King Izuka himself is a user of Elder magic, and thus I wanted to investigate him as well. I came to this bridge thinking I could cross from Crimea to Daein, but I was a fool not to realize the scope of this battlefield. I found myself attacked by soldiers the moment I teleported on the bridge, and so I am here. Thank you."

Jill nodded. "Since you are investigating the goings on here, would you mind lending your strength to our cause? You do agree that Izuka's treatment of Daein civilians has reached the scope of genocide, yes?"

Bob shook his head. "I have not been to Daein, so I cannot say, but considering the fact that they'd strike a mere traveler in mere black robes, it seems that Izuka's men are bandits. Since your army is so adamant against him, I assume that he is no better. I would be honored to accompany your army." Bob smiled.

Titania, fearing for Jill's life, rode forth towards the younger woman with great haste.

Meanwhile, several yards to the south, a black mage with intimidating robes watched the procession. "Very well, Bob. Your mission has begun… Let us hope that we can gather the evidence we need to punish that traitor." With that, the mage snapped his fingers and disappeared.

* * *

Ike swung his sword left and right, hacking soldiers down with almost every stroke.

Those renegade Pegasus knights and Wyvern knights who tried to stop Ike found arrows striking their lungs and skulls. Geoffrey was a better archer than all their paladins save Astrid, and his skill made quite a few aerial units think twice about attacking Crimea's commander.

Finally, the beating of Pegasus wings filled the air as the Holy Guard entered the fray. Soon Crimea's champions found the rebel's air support compromised by their skilled friends, and with Tanith leading them the odds were totally not in Ludveck's favor.

Elincia flew to Geoffrey's side.

"Geoffrey… You're wounded." She gasped as she raised her Recover staff.

"Wait, Elincia… You don't…" Geoffrey's protests ceased as a slash on his arm was healed, and the knight found it easier to draw his bowstring, but even then Elincia spent magical energy and risked that rare stave's durability on such a relatively petty wound.

Tanith's Pegasus hovered right next to Ike. "Commander, do you require assistance?" She asked.

"Thanks for coming, Tanith, but I think I'm fine."

"Look at you…" The Falcoknight hissed. "You're covered in slashes… And you're bleeding."

"Most of it is the enemy's blood. Thanks, anyway, but I think I'm fine. Could you hold off the enemy's air support?" Ike asked.

"Already done." Tanith pointed at the sky. Ike's eyes widened as several Crimean rebel pegasi and Confederate wyvern knights fell like yellowing leaves from winter trees. The Holy Guard was truly a force to be reckoned with.

"The enemy aerial forces have been routed, and now the Guard has been ordered to help pick off enemy reinforcements. That vast army you see before you? Yes, well, those are what remain of the enemy's forces. Once they've been routed and picked off this flank will be cleared."

Tanith had not finished speaking before a mob of Gallians sprang from the left and pounced into the enemy formation.

Tanith gave Ike a rare smile. "I suppose our toils will be over in a matter of minutes."

* * *

1. Well, Archsage Soren, Shinon won't really need Dragonfoe after all. I'll hand it over to him, though, for the lulz. Someone like Shinon would be proud of obtaining Beastfoe and Dragonfoe, and since he's a Sniper he'll gun down hawks and ravens with ease.

2. Apparently, this guy commands Gallian troops if Lethe, their original commander, is slain in combat. I viewed a video on youtube that shows Lethe kicking his arse. (Thanks to GoldieX39's vids, of course. Google Mia VS Lucia and click on the first youtube video you see for more details on character VS character videos.) Basically, he's a black cat, and that's just awesome.

3. Because generic bad guys (and good guys like Billy) all look the same.

4. On the subject of Dark Magic (tier list for all weapons will be posted after the Final Chapter, which is a long way from now):

Worm is a lame name, so Flux shall replace it. Because Elder magic is practically legendary in nature (being practically banned and practiced only by a secret society, which prides itself in being renegade compared to the main Begnion/Crimean/Daein governments), their tome names do not correspond with the tome names in other schools. There is no such thing as "El" or "Arcdark," but Rexnight does exist, just like Rexaura. If anything the only school of magic that has similar naming styles to the Elder school is their polar opposite, the Light school of magic. (Ellight and Arclight, in this fic, do not exist. Ellight is Shine and Arclight is Norsferatu)

I know that Gespent was a powerful Tome in FE7, but in this fic it will be a D ranking tome, mainly because Gespent means "Ghost" in German and ghosts aren't nearly as terrifying as what Elder Magic is truly capable of in the wrong hands. Luna is the C ranking tome. It's unique among Elder tomes because it does not form itself underneath the opponent beforehand. It's circle just shoots out of the user's hand like a cannon, and the circle tries to engulf as many opponents as possible before striking, while doing damage the entire time, circle included, unlike most other tomes which appear under the opponent(s) first before striking.

5. Final note for the chap, I swear. My research tells me that Sanaki can only use Light and Anima magic, but not staves.

In the spirit of this fic, I say: sucks to that. Sanaki can use staves this time. However as a consequence I'll have her only able to use the "Light" spell, meaning her Light weapon level is E rank. And will perpetually stay that way. A fair trade, I think. After all, she has to use light magic in order to keep her on par with people in the senate, and since she currently sucks at light magic she should just stick with frying people and focusing on learning the details of light magic later, in more peaceful times, as a hobby.


	16. Ominous Days

Chapter 16: Ominous Days

"General Tagio!" A Crimean paladin yelled as he rode to Melior's main gate. "General! I need to speak with you immediately!"

Tagio emerged and strolled to the parapet. "What is it, soldier?"

"General, our forward camp has been destroyed. Enemy forces are headed this way!"

Among the soldiers who stood proudly by the veteran's side, Wendy gasped. For years she had been training for the day she could prove herself once more for her nation's service. At fifteen she had tried to defend Melior, but her meager skill with the bow left her of little use as fire support for Renning's unit. She had fled into the woods, trying to live like a monkey while avoiding the prying eyes of Daein. It was a good thing she did, for several of the captive female soldiers of Crimea were actually raped by some of the perverted Daein troops who sorely lacked discipline. Needless to say, those who were caught were personally executed by Generals Bryce and Petrine, but the damage had already been done to the women who were willing to give their lives in Crimea's service.

She was so lucky that she wasn't one of them.

But now she feared that she would once again prove her uselessness. No! She had to stand strong and proud. She was a Crimean sniper, albeit an inexperienced one. She had earned this rank through vigorous training under General Geoffrey himself! She could feather more than enough of these Confederate swine. (1.)

Yes, she had to have faith. Faith saved Generals Geoffrey and Tagio. Faith brought Crimea freedom once more. Faith would save them all yet again. Raising her bow, she closed one eye and prepared herself for the swarm. These invaders would taste arrows, and she pitied the fact that these weren't Begnion Imperials. These Confederate idiots chose the wrong side.

And just when the drawbridge closed after accepting that sole surviving knight of the warriors stationed at Tagio's forward camp, the first of Begnion's Confederate paladins appeared. Melior itself was about to engage the enemy, and only Strategy and Ashera could save them now.

* * *

Largo lumbered along, dragging his axe behind him.

Calill and Heather walked beside the bulky warrior, and Heather groaned. The road to Melior was boring, and, to top it off, there were only three of them traversing it.

"Why did dey let us go alone? Those 'buds were friends of yerz, right?" Heather turned to Largo.

"De village is broke. Dey need to fix it. Besides, we're stronger then dem when it comes to crushing skulls. We should go help Crimea's soldiers fight while they stay behind to fix the village." Largo explained.

Calill nodded and smirked. "With a first class mage, a first class fighter, and a first class thief here, what do we three have to fear? We can definitely kill off those Confederate idiots and save Crimea. We don't need the villagers to help. They should fix their homes instead of getting in our way."

Heather smiled. "Yep, yep. Largo'll keep the Confederate oafs back while I stab them with knives and you blast them with magic, right Calill?"

Calill just smiled. It was rather fun to be with such simple people.

* * *

Nepheene rushed about the fields, when she suddenly tripped over something quite large.

"Owww… Did I hit a rock?" She glanced around.

"Watch where yer going, missy…" Brom groaned as he slowly got up.

"Brom? What are ya doin' here?"

"I saw bandits attackin' my village, so I took 'em out. I grabbed an axe from one of 'em and continued on my way, lookin' for any more attacked fellas. I decided to take a nap after a while, since this armor was heavy, but the moment I wake up you ran into me."

"Oh, s-sorry…" Nepheene stammered. This was so embarrassing!

Brom smiled. "No worries, lass. We oughta head for the capital. Elincia might need our help."

Nepheene nodded. "I gotz so many questions, and I need dem answers."

With that, the pair of country folk headed out for Melior.

* * *

Sigrun had arrived, and with her arrival a platoon of the Holy Guard helped take down scores of Kilvas ravens. Apparently the Confederate army found it wise to send scores of the swift birds to attack the Coalition's finest Wind Sage.

Needless to say, they served as excellent target practice for Soren's Tornado tome.

Sigrun landed beside the two strategists, and lowered her head respectfully. Lucia did the same and Soren nodded.

"General Sigrun, I'm glad to find you here, but what of the Apostle?" Soren spoke before Lucia opened her mouth.

"Apostle Sanaki and her majesty Elincia ordered all central units to move out to the various outer flanks. Reinforcements have been sent to all four groups. The Empress should be among the rear flank while Queen Elincia rushed to Geoffrey's aid." Sigrun smiled worriedly. She knew that Elincia had disregarded Soren's advice with that act.

Soren sighed. Elincia was far too stubborn! "I did my duty as a strategist. I can only hope that she did not put herself in danger… Sir Geoffrey now has the burden of protecting her along with the rest of his soldiers… I'm sure she'll be fine as long as he breathes."

Sigrun gulped. Was Soren only trying to stay calm, or had he truly gotten enough discipline not to get angry when critical officers ignored his advice?

"Well…" Lucia spoke up, trying to break the uneasy atmosphere. "It looks like our units have taken out the enemy… This flank is mostly clear." She pointed at the groups of enemy soldiers running from the Holy Guard and the Crimean troops under her and Soren's personal command.

At that moment, another knight came flying aimlessly by. It was a wyvern knight, and Soren knew full well that no Begnion wyvern knights were stationed anywhere near his unit. They were either in Sanaki's personal unit or with Zelgius on the frontline. This Begnion wyvern knight was either an enemy or an idiot.

Sigrun gasped when she squinted her eyes. She immediately flew towards the knight.

"Lady Sigrun!" Soren yelled. He motioned for Lucia to follow him, and the pair ran towards her.

"Haar! It's been so long!" Sigrun called.

Haar stopped dead in his tracks. "Sigrun? Ah… You look, er, healthy."

Sigrun smiled. "Haar, love, have you been well?"

Haar yawned. "Not really. It's not easy ferrying cargo, especially during a war, you know?"

Soren stopped dead in his tracks when he saw that eyepatch. "Oh, it's just Haar." He sighed, where was Jill to knock some sense into this oaf? They could use definitely use his strength, if only they could knock some willpower into his lazy spine.

Lucia groaned. She hoped that Haar didn't hear him, or he might just fly away after feeling disrespected.

But it looked like Sigrun was taking care of business.

"Haar, speaking of war, have you even noticed what is going on here?" She spoke with a bit of sternness in her voice.

"Sigrun, I'm sorry that you have to risk your neck for the Apostle, but I got deliveries to make, and…"

"Captain Haar."

"Yes?"

"Jill is a Colonel. What do you think of that?"

"Good for her."

"Haar." Her voice began to sound grave. Soren and Lucia, who had stepped closer to listen in on what they were saying, gulped. No wonder why Tanith thought so highly of Sigrun. Sweet Sigrun had a backbone just as hard as Tanith's, and her tongue could be set aflame if she needed it to sting.

"Sigrun?" Haar gulped.

"We've known each other for twenty years, since we were new recruits in the Begnion army, since we were practically children, and all that time I felt that you were an honorable knight… Lazy, yes, but honorable. We watched each other's backs for nearly ten years before you left and joined General Shiharam as part of the Daein army…"

"And then your subordinate, Tanith, killed him and led me to the life I lead now."

"I'm sorry, Haar. As you know, Tanith has always placed duty over everything else… If only the General did not have to die… Damn that Ashnard…" Sigrun's eyes watered a little. Shiharam was her old friend, after all.

"Sigrun, don't get me wrong. It's great to see you alive and well, but did you come here just to share old memories? I have a job to do, and…"

"Tellius is burning, Haar! People are dying from Lekain and Izuka's greed! Jill's fighting for the Coalition as part of the Daein Loyalist Army… I'm fighting alongside the Empress with Elincia and the others. Surely you're not going to leave Jill and I to die?"

"Sigrun… I vowed to lower my axe…"

"In times like these, when you are perfectly capable of making a difference and doing good, would you just sit back and do nothing? Haar, evil like this happened because good men like Prime Minister Sephiran could do nothing to prevent it! Now that you're here, can't you help us make a difference? Can you just sit back and watch Tellius burn without wanting to raise your axe in its defense?" (2.)

"Sigrun…"

"Haar, this is no time for some simple day job. Your country needs you once again… No, both Begnion and Daein need you. You shed blood for both lands, and are you going to sully your reputation as an honorable knight of both countries? Have I put faith in a coward? Are you Haar, my old friend, or have you shed that which made you a proud Captain of both Begnion and Daein?"

Haar stared at Sigrun. She stared right back at him.

He burst out laughing.

"As always, you were very nice and sweet at first, but once someone pissed you off, you'd slowly build your flames until you couldn't hold them anymore, and then you'd let 'em burn. I could smell the smoke coming out of your ears and tear ducts. Alright, fine, I'm in."

Sigrun smiled. "Admittedly you were angering me for a while. I thought you weren't Haar anymore and I was speaking to a shell that used to be my old friend... And I'd have to hurt you. Glad to have you with us, Sir Haar."

"What's with the Sir, Sigrun? You're Sigrun and I'm Haar, like it's always been."

Sigrun laughed. "Of course, of course. Now, Haar, are you ready to give these Confederate traitors a beating?"

"Ready whenever you are."

* * *

The enemy surrounded Melior, leaving no chance of escape for Tagio and his brave warriors.

Hiding in one of the villas within the city wall, several of Crimea's richest noblemen gathered together for a meeting of sorts.

"Our good for nothing Queen has let all this happen. We should join Ludveck and overthrow her now that we have the chance. Tagio's too busy trying to hold the rebels off, but why don't we convince him that joining the rebels would save Crimea? That way we'll have this veteran on our side." One of the nobles growled.

"Tagio's too devoted to Duke Renning. Now that the Duke is dead, he will defend Renning's niece's honor to his dying breath. That honor includes holding this capital at all costs. He would not join Ludveck." Another noble sighed, stroking his blonde mustache.

"Then he must be dealt with." The first noble cursed under his breath.

"Easier said than done. Remember that the soldiers stationed here are all loyal to Queen Elincia. Foolish as they are, they are blind enough not to waver from that cause. If we kill Tagio, and are caught, we die and Ludveck will still have to fight to break the gates and take the capital. Granted, Tagio won't be there to stop him, but still his job won't be that much easier." A third noble shook his head while caressing his large brunette sideburns.

"At any rate, we should split up and hide in the various houses. We might be able to help heal those brave Confederate troops if we do. In the end, it's clear that Melior will fall and that Ludveck will be the man who will acquire Crimea's crown, with Elincia and Lucia at his side." The second noble spoke.

"You're assuming that Lucia's smart enough to accept Ludveck. That so-called strategist would never understand the power one has as a mistress of such a powerful man. Besides, would Elincia have enough strength to survive the coming battles? Will she live to be Ludveck's bride?" The first noble laughed.

"At any rate, we should do what we can for Lord Ludveck so that his entry into the capital will not be as painful. Let's go, gentleman, and liberate Crimea from Elincia's weak hands." The third noble stood, and the rest followed suit.

* * *

As Djor gathered his troops around him, watching his forward scouts engage the Crimean defenders, a Pegasus knight flew towards him and dropped a single white robbed mage.

Djor turned and scoffed. "Senator, what is it?"

Alviss's eyes narrowed. "The main force is currently engaging Sanaki and Elincia, and yet you've split yourself away from them to strike the Crimean capital. There is no need for us to cause Crimea to collapse as a nation. Our main goal is to force Queen Elincia to stand down. To do that, all we have to do is defeat her and capture her in combat. To destroy Melior would cause too much damage to the people of Crimea. Your tactical sense is quite ingenious, but your sense of humanity might need some work."

Djor scoffed. "You only say that to deter me from gaining the glory I rightfully deserve."

Alviss waved his hand nonchalantly and laughed. "Say what you will. As a Knight of Begnion it is your duty to protect Begnion citizens. If you follow this path, the people of Crimea will revolt and Begnion lives will be threatened. We need to ensure that Crimea will willingly join the Confederacy, not be conquered by it and thus hold a grudge against our people. I wonder why Lekain appointed you as a commanding officer if your actions will only lead to harm for us."

"These dogs must be beaten into silence, not placated with strips of bacon. You assume that these Crimean idiots would see the light and join our glorious Confederacy, but you are in the wrong. Besides, I thought you were for this war. Why do you sound so weak, Senator?"

"I was supporting this war, until I saw how many of our soldiers were slain in Gallia and Crimea. We attacked in the hopes that we could destroy the nations that threatened us, but it looks like we must realize that it was we who were in the wrong. Crimea merely wanted to ensure its own economic security. Gallia simply wanted to live in their forests and ignore us at best. Neither attempted any raids upon our soil. We had Daein's prince Pelleas willing to obey our demands in exchange for peace, and thus we had a foe turned dependent, yet Pelleas is dead and Izuka constantly challenges Lekain, forcing him to make amends day by day.

"With Phoenicis, Crimea, and Gallia intent on cutting our throats, and with Goldoa beginning to show signs of refusing to send adequate supplies or reinforcements for our troops, our position has only grown weaker. Our country has lost many of its gains. And you tell me that this war is for our benefit? Before we make things any worse, let's not strike Melior. We must force Elincia to stand down and thus stop this endless bloodshed. Ludveck reminds me of Izuka each day, what with his constant demanding of supplies and soldiers. I doubt he'll be reasonable once he does conquer Crimea. Reestablishing ties with Elincia and mediating between the two Crimean factions should be our goal. We should strive to end the fighting, not perpetuate it, General. I hope you understand my sentiments."

"Get out of my face, you pathetic excuse for a Senator. I came here to kill these Crimean dogs, not listen to your cowardly whimpers. I hope that Ashera will be kind to a cowardly soul like you." Djor raised his sword. "Leave, before I fix the mistake of your appointment as a Confederate Senator."

Alviss scoffed. Turning his head, he groaned: "And with men like you in our ranks, our nation will face its darkest hour… If only we had the prudence to inspire and unite our fellow nations, rather than provoke them into destroying us." He quickly remounted his bodyguard's mount, and she flew them far into the distance, towards Castle Seliora.

* * *

Tibarn rammed into an enemy paladin, sending him flying.

Kieran ran in the midst of several fellow paladins, and with a swing of his axe, his foes fell like chopped wheat.

Drawing a bow, Kieran aimed and took down a raven, startling Janaff quite a bit.

"Kieran, you chose a bow as your second weapon?"

"Of course! As an honorable knight of Crimea one must be ready to assist one's country in any way possible. I will prove to that dastard Oscar that I can serve Crimea far better than he from near and far!"

"Um, sure, just don't point it too close to me or my men…"

"Why are you afraid, Sir Janaff? Honorable knights of Crimea never attack their allies. This bow is meant for foes in the sky, not for friends."

"Sure… I hope it stays that way…"

* * *

"It's General Zelgius! Men, with those blasted hawks and that traitor in the Crimean ranks, we cannot hold this line. Let's get out of here!" An enemy gold knight yelled as he turned around and started to run.

The soldiers with him looked at each other. With a nod, they too fled the scene.

"A traitor? I'm an honorable knight of Crimea, you fools! You face the wrath of Sixth company commander Major Kieran! I… Eh? They're running away. Cowards!" Kieran turned and looked at Zelgius and Tibarn.

Zelgius stabbed his sword into the ground. "Perhaps I came too late… Congratulations on defeating the enemy, your majesty." He bowed to Tibarn.

Tibarn blinked. "Janaff, do you see any of our other flanks in trouble? We should come to their aid if that's the case."

"I'm on it." Janaff flew high into the clouds.

"Now we shall finish off what's left of the enemy and head for Melior… There are far too few troops here. Why would Lekain send so few to strike our position if he knew we'd be here? Furthermore, Melior has relatively minor defenses, and since less soldiers than we thought struck us here, I have a feeling that they're headed for Crimea's capital. We should go reinforce Tagio at once." Zelgius shook his head.

* * *

Elincia dropped the Amiti on the ground and slid off the saddle of her Pegasus.

Geoffrey quickly slipped off his own horse and caught her.

"I'm… So tired, Geoffrey…" She panted.

"Elincia… It's alright. The battle has been won. Our forces are safe for the time being." Geoffrey muttered, simply holding her.

Lethe and Lyre looked on. It was sweet how Geoffrey cared for his queen, but everyone knew that the fight was far from over.

At that moment, Janaff came flapping over. "The frontline has been cleared, and as far as I see it our allies in the right flank have decided to gather together after taking out their quarry, and the rear flank is heading this way."

"So we were all victorious… How many casualties do you see?"

"Too many… But I don't see any of the vets from the Mad King's War among them. We'll need to talk to Soren and Ranulf to figure out exactly how many fell."

Geoffrey sighed. "And just when I thought we could celebrate our victory…"

Janaff shook his head. "Be happy that your family's still mostly intact, Geoffrey. With the kind of hell we just went through, we could have had it far worse."

* * *

1. One of the things that annoyed me about Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn was the lack of playable female Snipers/Marksman. Now Enjorlas feels redundant because we already have quite a few guys who can serve as mounted archers. We need a girl Marksman who reminds us of Neimi (yes, she's based on Neimi, so sue me), so now I've made one. Savvy?

2. If you remember, Prime Minister Sephiran died earlier in this story in Sanaki's service. He is (or was) not the Magnificent Bastard he proved to be in Radiant Dawn. That honor (or more like dishonor) now goes to Senator Lekain. Sephiran is a victim of the Confederacy, not one of the guys secretly in charge.


	17. Melior Besieged

My shortest chapter yet. I've been so busy with CSA (Chinese Student Association), essays, and exams... Unfortunately, I wanted this arc over fast so I could focus on more Character development, and isn't it depressing to watch Crimean troops suffer casualties at their own HQ?

I really hope you enjoy this chapter, even if it's short and (to me) not as exciting. I swear I'll make it up to you guys next chapter, just bear with me, ok?

Chapter 17: Melior Besieged

Rocks smashed against Melior's walls as the Confederate army tried to enter the city.

With thousands of Ludveck's men rushing to Melior, hoping to take some spoils for themselves, Djor found his task a lot easier. Yes, the only way Ludveck's men helped the Confederates was the fact that these Crimean rebels _tried_ not to shoot them, but even so two armies attacking a city made the task of taking it much less painful.

Of course, for every conniving Confederate who tried to seize Crimea's capital, there was a brave Crimean warrior ready to hold his line to the last breath.

But, soon enough, they would be outnumbered, and when they were each soldier would have to fight like five men. From within the city young farmers and artisans scampered forth, asking for bows and axes and javelins to help the warriors on the frontline. Tagio, knowing that Melior's armory was larger than most, was willing to have them help as fire support. After all, his own troops couldn't handle this alone, and most farmers and artisans needed steady hands in order to complete their tasks. Steady hands would also prevent them from missing and striking a comrade, or so he hoped.

But there were only so many men still in Melior after the main army had set out for Ardor. There were only so many soldiers Tagio could use against the Confederate horde. This did not bode well, no indeed.

But Tagio wasn't afraid. If he was to fall today, he'd take as many Confederates as he could with him! Melior was Crimea's capital, and would never fall again!

With spear in hand and a fire in his heart, the old armored knight twirled his silver lance and called out to the brave men standing on Melior's battlements: "Her Majesty is coming, and we will not falter in our resolve before our friends arrive! You men have served Crimea loyally, and I ask that, in this dark hour, you continue to stand by her side. We may be surrounded men, we may be cornered men, but we are not yet dead men. We still draw breath. Brave warriors, draw your bows, raise your blades, and ready your spells.

"Today, those of us who fall will die hero's deaths. Brothers, sisters, today each of you shall be a legend, and once the Confederacy is driven out of sweet Crimea your names, like the names of those who gave their lives in the Mad King's War, shall be spoken of with sweetness and gratitude. Those of you who will survive this day can simply say: 'I was at Melior,' and those who hear you will reply: 'Ah, now that's a hero!' (1.)

"Prepare yourselves, my siblings, today we war!"

* * *

Wave after wave of red or white armored Confederate soldiers tried to climb the battlements.

As her fellow soldiers either gunned those invaders down or struck them in hand to hand combat, Wendy rushed to and fro, firing arrows at every helmet she saw that wasn't facing away from her. Quite a few troops fell from the battlements into their ally's shocked lines as she fired arrow after arrow alongside her fellow Snipers.

She had just been promoted, and thus had little experience, but that didn't seem to matter when every soldier of the Crimean army counted, when every weapon meant something, when even a rookie like her could achieve something greater than herself.

She gulped, knowing that the line could break at any moment and she'd be cut down by a blade, but that didn't matter. As long as Melior remained in Elincia's hands, as long as the Confederacy suffered for what they had done to Tellius, she'd die content.

But she shook her head. Why think of death in the midst of battle? No, she'd live through this, and so would her friends!... She had to believe that…

* * *

As smoke began to rise over Melior, Nepheene and Brom entered the city limits, or whatever part of the city was left that used to sit outside the main wall.

"Dat's not good… Deyz gonna get smashed once the enemy breaks down dat gate…" Nepheene gasped. (2.)

"Den we'll go smash dem first!" Brom smiled wickedly. He had enough of this.

* * *

The northern gate swung open, and Crimean paladins surged forth, slashing away at the Confederate horde. They swung about, trying to avoid running over Nepheene and Brom as the pair rushed into the gate. Horses and riders swayed frantically, trying to return to the gate swiftly enough to not get skewered by Begnion pikemen.

Even though his armor made it hard to move, and thus he'd be perfect for holding the gate, Brom knew that fighting from the battlements despite his lack of mobility would be the best move. They could not afford to let the perimeter be breached if he fell, and thus the gate had to be sealed at all costs.

With an unmatched fury, Crimean Royalist Forces fended off the Begnion horde and regrouped within Melior's walls. With no way to enter the city, Begnion's soldiers had no choice but to throw themselves at the enemy lines, killing as many soldiers on the battlements as possible.

Confederate forces tried climbing ladders to reach their foe's positions on the wall, but fire spells and excellent halberdiers and armored knights guarding the wall's sides kept them from ever achieving their goal. The fact that so many Snipers, including Wendy, stood behind those defending knights did not help, as their swift arrows took the lives of so many Confederate troops in mere seconds.

But no matter how many they fell, the Confederate warriors just kept on coming.

"At this rate, we'll get overwhelmed!" A Crimean Corporal observed. "Commander, where are our reinforcements?"

"We should assume that they aren't coming." A Crimean Lieutenant muttered bitterly.

"What? But, sir, with all due respect, we're being left to die if that's the case…"

"Stand down, Corporal. We who fight today will die with honor perhaps in spite of this Confederate horde. Even if our Comrades find Melior in enemy hands, they will find countless enemy corpses littering the streets. We chose this path of blood, and we shall uphold the honor that comes with it 'till our deaths." Tagio sighed.

His soldiers looked uneasily at each other. They vowed to fight for Crimea, but did that really mean that they'd die here and that Melior would fall anyway? Did that really mean that their lives were so meaningless?

No, they couldn't believe that. Crimea lost once against Daein, but now Crimea was a stronger nation… And, besides, Crimean soldiers had principles: Honor, Loyalty, Dignity, these were things that couldn't be taken away even through death. Even in their dying breaths they'd still love their nation. Even when their spirits left their bodies they'd keep the dignity of being moral, brave soldiers. Even though the battlefield was filled with chaos, death, pain, and blood, they'd stay human… Dead humans, yes, but they wouldn't die as monsters.

They would die heroes.

And with that in mind, they turned towards their foe's advancing spears. Let these Confederate bears come! Let these bloodthirsty wretches charge! In the end, these creatures would only taste metal, and in the end, it would be Crimea that remained in the right.

* * *

Calill, Largo, and Heather appeared from the west, running as fast as they could for the west gate.

Dozens of Confederate soldiers tried to intercept them.

With a swing of his axe, Largo split two skulls in twain. Raising her hand, Calill rained thunderbolts on her foes, frying about ten of them before they tried to run. (3.)

With a swift dash forward, Heather raised her stiletto, and with a flick of her wrist, an enemy soldier collapsed, drowning in his own blood.

* * *

Death had plenty of people to take in the minutes after Largo and Calill regrouped with the other Crimean Royalist forces.

The Crimean Royalist Army opened their south gate, and hundreds of troops moved out, finding themselves tying up Djor's personal guards. From within the city, the Aristocrats who were debating whether to help Ludveck soon found it prudent to maintain that false mask of loyalty, for by the time Djor spotted Largo hacking down his Guard Commander, it was already too late. Calill greeted the aging Field Marshal with an elthunder spell, and as the veteran tried to recover and counter her assault, Wendy stepped forth and aimed her bow at Djor's forehead.

The warrior never knew what hit him. Too delirious from the pain of Calill's spell, he could not defend himself from the young sniper, and as his armor fell to the ground with a clang, the surviving Begnion Confederate soldiers surrendered.

Melior was safe, and as General Geoffrey appeared from the west, with the mighty Crimean army eagerly following him, he found the city firmly in Crimean hands.

Never again would Crimea be conquered by outside forces. Never again!

* * *

--------

1. Based on one of Napoleon's speeches. Not bad for an NPC, eh?

2. I just love twisting country style accents into something borderline hideous, don't you? XD

3. Aayvee made a point that mages seemed overpowered in this fic, and if you think about it, a sage with Calill's skill should be able to fry several lower ranking Confederate grunts at once instead of just being able to kill one soldier at a time. After all, if Boyd can cut off six heads with one axe swing (at least that's what it looked like in the scene in Radiant Dawn where the Greil Mercenaries save Lucia), then Calill can fry ten suckers with an Elthunder.


	18. From Prey to Predator

Chapter 18: From Prey to Predator

Titania didn't trust Bob, not one bit, but since he did help protect her friends from the Confederate horde, and since he, at least for now, proved to be a powerful and dependable ally, she decided to bear with him for now.

Tauroneo and Jill didn't understand why Titania treated their new comrade so coldly. Yeah, he was a Druid, and Druids had a "questionable" form of fighting, but he had proved to be a useful ally so any rate, Titania and Bob's relationship was the least of their worries.

Ever since Bob literally cleared the way for Jill to cut Goran down with her axe, hordes of Confederate Daein soldiers tried to charge forth, forcing the Daein Loyalist Army to abandon the forward camps they had set up to the east of the Great Bridge's "Daein" battle basically became a stalemate. Izuka's men were too scared to get too close to The Great Bridge, and Tauroneo wasn't stupid enough to send his men on a death march too close to enemy territory. The Daein Loyalist Army held The Great Bridge, while the Confederacy held the rest of Daein.

Tauroneo would often stand on guard, keeping a careful eye on the Daein side of the bridge, both worried that his mislead countrymen would come to destroy his camp and sorrowful at the fact that his homeland was still being oppressed. He would stand there, wondering when he could finally liberate Daein from Izuka's clutches.

And Titania would often stand next to him, telling him that a single person on watch was too risky. After all, the Confederate army was known to be treacherous, and they would be overjoyed to find only one soldier, even if he was a Steadfast General and thus a very skilled veteran, waiting for them. The Confederates would hardly hesitate to take on Tauroneo alone. Because of this, she told him that it would be better if both of them were there, together, so that they could hold off the enemy and their combined shouts would be loud enough to alert the others to come to their aid.

But Jill giggled to herself as predicted Titania's true motives.

The scarlet-haired Dame Knight could often be seen sitting solemnly on her horse, staring toward the nation of Gallia. Everyone who had fought with her in the Mad King's War knew why... Titania was heartbroken. Greil was dead, and she wasn't there for him... She could only let him live on in her memories.

Tauroneo, Greil's old friend, took it upon himself to try to help his comrades as Greil would have done. As the Mad King's War came to a close, he tried to inspire Rolf to become a more devoted archer; to have conviction in his choice in life. He tried to convince his younger comrades that they should not falter even with the death of a dear comrade like Greil, or of anyone else, for that matter. After all, the veteran General reasoned, if you mourned the death of one friend to the point where it disrupted your judgement, then many of your friends would die with you unable to prevent their deaths. The time for mourning could come after one had successfully crushed those who would take your friends from you.

Tauroneo had that bearing about him, the same aura Greil one carried. It was an aura similar to what had inspired Bryce's soldiers to fight so valiantly to keep Melior in Daein hands when the Crimean Liberation Army surrounded and plowed through their positions. It was clear that Tauroneo was a hero, a veteran of many battles who was not afraid to die for the sake of his country and comrades. They could trust his judgment, and, like all the other veterans of the Mad King's War, these men knew they could trust him with their lives.

Titania would sit beside the mustached warrior, and though he treated her with the same respect and friendliness as he would any other comrade, she found herself strangely drawn to him. What was it that made him so appealing? She often questioned her actions as she sat beside him during every war conference or meeting. She found herself hanging around him a lot more often than any of the other Commanding officers of their Allied forces. Strangely enough, Titania found little interest in Geoffrey or Elincia or Ike, and she only hung around Tauroneo, a commanding officer who, frankly, could hardly compare to Gawain in strength.

Yet, in Tauroneo, she saw Greil's conviction. She saw that firm sense of honor that would not fade even in death. Greil wasn't the only strong warrior who existed: there was Ashnard, the Black Knight, Zelgius, Ike himself, Geoffrey, Tibarn, Haar, and even Boyd, but among these men Greil was one of the most heroic. He had the heart of a hero as well as the muscles to back that up.

Even if Tauroneo wasn't so powerful, he, too, had that 'heart,' that state of mind. He'd do anything for his comrades, and they could definitely rely on him.

And Titania realized that, perhaps, Tauroneo carried many of the things that she loved in Greil. Perhaps her relationship with him as a comrade was about to end... Not in an ill way, of course, but in a life changing way. Perhaps, she reasoned, she was in love with him.

But Titania shook her head every time she came to that conclusion. It was silly to think that! Tauroneo was a dedicated knight of Daein. She was a dedicated knight of Crimea. Even if their relationship were to become closer, he wouldn't abandon his country for her, and she wouldn't for him either.

Still, she'd spent these years alone... She'd spent so many years as a single woman... Her age was catching up with her, and spending time with youths like Ike and Boyd made her realize how time was truly flying away from her... Perhaps it was time for her to make a move.

* * *

With the enemy so afraid of the white-armored warrior that they wouldn't even attempt a raid, Tauroneo found the task of guarding The Great Bridge ridiculously easy. Yet, even if guarding this position was simple, the situation was hardly relaxing.

The soldiers of the Daein Loyalist army were tired, demoralized, and were slowly running out of supplies, so it was a shock, but a merry one, for them to find General Geoffrey riding towards them with several supply wagons and additional troops.

Of Tauroneo's forces, those under Titania's direct command were the first to run forward and greet Geoffrey. They were Crimean soldiers, after all.

The Daeins were less cheerful upon seeing that legendary Crimean commander, but they were definitely thankful when Geoffrey gave them enough supplies to feed them for roughly two years. They had to thank Ashera that gruel didn't look nearly as appealing as it once did.

Titania made a note of every single veteran who passed by her. "Hmn? Where are Lucia, Boyd, Soren, Oscar, Gatrie, or Astrid? Shouldn't they be here?" She asked Geoffrey.

"My sister informed me that she had some business to attend to in Melior. Apparently, she needed Boyd and Gatrie to accompany her. As for Oscar and the others, well, I did not relay an order for everyone to come here, and I suppose they had their own duties to attend to. I could summon them if you are concerned, General Titania, but rest assured that they survived the enemy's assaults and are just fine, as far as I know."

"If you're so sure, then that is enough of a relief. It's just that so many have fallen, and I don't want any one of them to be another casualty."

"You need not worry about that, General. Crimea's Royal Knights and the Greil Mercenaries are some of the finest troops Crimea has ever mustered. A member of either wouldn't fall that easily."

* * *

"Are you certain?""Yes, Lord Ludveck. Her majesty Elincia has ordered Tagio to march along with her to meet up with the Daein refugees at The Great Bridge. The enemy has left only a skeleton force at Melior, with fewer than a regiment stationed there."

"Hah! How could Elincia be so stupid? Stationing only a thousand troops in Melior won't save her when I still have tens of thousands under my command! And you say that there isn't even a regiment there? Hah! When I outnumber her primary citadel's troops by over forty to one, let's see what she'll think of her own utter stupidity!"

"My lord, we should strike now if we want to ensure victory."

"Of course, private, of course. Now, inform the rest of my officers of this news. Once our army heads out, Melior will fall!"

* * *

"Lady Lucia, they are advancing towards the west gate, with Lord Ludveck at their head, as you predicted." A Crimean sage bowed before her.

"I knew that leaving this tempting morsel would have Ludveck come crawling out of his den. Now, all we have to do is cut him down, and this will all be over. Boyd, Gatrie, I brought you two here to help hold the line. I'm sure that task wouldn't be hard for you at all." Lucia smirked.

Gatrie saluted. "I'd do anything for a lovely and smart lass like you."

"As long as I get to ram my axe into one of those thick Confederate skulls, I'm good." Boyd added.

"Then go, you two, and give them hell." Lucia raised her blade. She had proven her ability as a strategist to lure her enemy out, but now she had to prove her abilities as a tactician and warrior. Could she cut Ludveck down and end the rebellion, or would Melior fall once again?

* * *

In the thick shrubbery just south of Melior, Soren's scouts gave their report.

"Enemy forces are advancing, forty thousand strong, for the west gate. Lady Lucia has ordered around five hundred soldiers to array themselves on the western battlements, with another company stationed right behind the gate. She has left three companies and a half to guard the remaining three gates, with about one half of a company in the center of the city, ready to provide the others with aid."

"Is Lucia drunk? She must have gone mad... How does she expect to hold the other three gates with only 150 men each? The enemy has four legions! Those soldiers will probably lose their morale the moment they see the sheer size of the enemy's formations... Very well, once the enemy begins to lay siege to the south and east gates, we will strike. They'll likely breach the north gate, but if we can rush to the southern gate in time, we may be able to keep Melior in our hands and ensure the enemy's defeat. The enemy still outnumbers our unit by roughly three to one, but we have a much better chance of holding them off than Lucia's lone regiment."

"Understood, Master Soren. I will inform you of the situation as it unfolds as ordered." With that, his scout disappeared into the thick undergrowth.

"Oscar, Astrid, you two have stayed by me for some time. As talented knights of the bow and lance, you're the most qualified for hit and run tactics, which are the kind of tactics we'll have to resort to for our opening strikes. Again, I thank both of you for being here."

"As long as Crimea needs us, we'll be there, Soren." Oscar answered for both of them.

"Very well. You men are knights of Crimea, and today Melior is under attack once more. Are you going to let those rebels take the capital, or will we show them how incredibly stupid they are? Prepare yourselves, men, for today we shall prevail!" Soren called as his forces took their positions.

* * *

Near the north gate, Lethe and Lyre crouched in the shrubbery with a few companies of Gallians. "If Lucia is reckless enough to risk life and limb, and Soren silly enough to bring so few soldiers to reinforce her, then they will need our strength as well. I guess I'm silly too, bringing so few of our brothers to help join in the fray, but it is our duty as Gallians to help our allies crush this rebellion as soon as possible.

"I know that the enemy outnumbers us greatly, and that our own forces roughly match those of Lucia's in number, but a Gallian tiger can crush four beorc with his paws, and our cat siblings can outrun, outmaneuver, and strike them multiple times before those fools can counterattack. Victory will be ours, so let's prepare ourselves! Once they swing by the north gate, we will make our move. They will hardly expect laguz to show up, so we have the element of surprise!" Lethe growled excitedly.

* * *

And so, the Confederate army slammed itself against the west gate. As their troops tried to ascend the walls with ladders and ropes, they were either cut down, or faced a hundred spears and axes striking them in the face. Boyd axed many a snarling Confederate soldier, while Gatrie speared his own quarry. As the enemy began to lose morale, other members of their force began to move out and strike the other gates.

As the northern Confederate flank reached the north gate and began to strike, other forces flew past them to strike the east gate, but they were all cut off and their confidence shattered when Gallians burst out and assaulted their rear. Lethe and Lyre hacked away at their foes indiscriminately, and though the Gallians were outnumbered, they were able to take out countless troops. Confederate soldiers, heavily demoralized by this sudden assault, began to flee every which way, leaving their commanders to die by the claws of tigers and cats.

The situation was no better for the Confederacy in the southern flank, as Soren emerged, slamming them with thunder and wind. Astrid joined him, nailing countless soldiers in the forehead with her bow. From the east, Oscar emerged, and with a few swings of his lance he sent dozens of enemy soldiers flying. With their forces routed, the Confederates fled and Oscar galloped to Astrid's rescue, only to find that both she and Soren had already wiped out their respective flank.

Ludveck, seeing his soldiers dying so readily, tried to retreat, but Lucia was ready for him.

"Lord Ludveck, as the commanding officer of all Crimean forces in this region, I challenge you to a duel!"

"To the death? A pity, woman. You could have sired my children and ensured a greater dynasty of Crimean rulers, but you chose this stupid path. I accept your challenge, but I won't give you the dignity of death upon defeat. Once you recover from this fight, and I win, you'll be mine, understood?"

Lucia's eyebrow twitched. "And when you are defeated, you'll feel a blade hacking away at your vitals, you wretched traitor!"

Ludveck laughed. "Then let's begin..."

* * *

He came at her with his lance outstretched.

But she was ready for him.

As he thrust forth, his war horse letting out a vicious neigh, she dodged and flew forward, striking him on the chest before leaping back.

Soren gripped tightly on his tornado tome. He couldn't let her fall, not when he was right there... Her acrobatics skills were quite impressive, but how long could she outmaneuver Ludveck before he took her down? Soren knew that violating this duel would insult Lucia's honor as a warrior, but he definitely didn't want her to suffer the consequences of defeat. He began to mutter the opening lines of a rare curse of wind magic. If he could introduce toxins into his next gale, Ludveck would be debilitated and Lucia would be saved! Standing ready, he prepared to violate her warrior's honor if it would keep her alive.

Lucia, for her part, dodged every attack Ludveck could use on her.

"Hah! I'm surprised that you actually graduated from the Crimean Military Academy!" Lucia taunted her opponent.

"Woman! You think you can insult me like this?" Ludveck twirled his lance and pointed it at her. "I am Ludveck, Duke of Ardor. Unlike your miserable Fortress Delbray, I kept Ardor wealthy even during the Daein occupation. While you miserable incompetents continued to hide or fight the Daein warriors and thus risk the lives of our Crimean citizens, I kept everything secure and everyone safe and happy. You have no right to make jokes at my expense, you wretch!"

Lucia could only giggle. "You hide behind that wall of pride, but I wonder how swiftly I can knock out those bricks?"

"You may call it pride, but that shows how you have no idea of respect. No wonder why you insist on this incredibly stupid course of action…" Ludveck laughed. "Surrender, woman, for it's all over for you."

Lucia raised her silver sword. "We shall see about that." Darting forward, she startled Ludveck and his horse, in spite of its training, shirked back from her sudden advance. An armorslayer slipped out of its sheath and fell from Ludveck's side. With quick hands, Lucia confiscated the weapon.

Ludveck glanced uneasily at the sword. With one slice, his tough armor would be no more.

Lucia laughed. "The tables have turned, haven't they, Duke Ardor? Tell me, why exactly did you betray your country twice? You kowtowed to the wants of King Ashnard, and when Ashnard fell you pretended to serve our Queen. Bastian and I saw through your façade, so by the time you rallied your men, we already had plans for you."

"Then how, exactly, did you allow me to gain so much power, woman? Melior will be mine in moments, and your plans will come to naught."

"That's what you think, Ludveck. That's what I wanted you to believe from the start. On the contrary, Master Soren has already taken down many of your veterans, and the Lady Lethe, leading several Gallian soldiers, has taken care of many more. Your forces are routed, and will soon be decimated. You've fallen for my trap, and I'm afraid I can't let you leave."

"Huh. She's incredibly stupid to the end, and arrogant too. Perhaps I was wise not to take a whore like you as my mistress. Goodbye, Duchess Delbray. You'll die, witch, and all of Crimea will curse your name once I become King."

Lucia just smiled as Ludveck reared his horse and moved in for one final charge.

She leapt to the side, and as Ludveck reared his horse to attack her, she jumped and thrust the armorslayer forward.

Any beorc warrior would know and fear the might of an armorslayer. Though it was not very durable compared to many other swords, the blade still slashed through armor with ease. It wasn't exactly like cutting butter with a knife, but such swords could still break armor quite efficiently. Only a blacksmith would know how to forge such a weapon, and an armorslayer was unstoppable in the hands of one who knew how to use it. Lucia was one of these people, and her blade cut through Ludveck's chest guard.

The traitor gasped. The sword had pierced his lung.

Blood began to flow from his mouth as he gagged, and Lucia let go of the sword, leaving it impaled in his body. Duke Ardor twitched as his body spasmed, unused to this foreign metal object having invaded the areas where lung tissue should have been. Though the sight was bloody and brutal, unfit for a lady's eyes, Lucia did not bother to look away. To say she enjoyed the sight would be a lie, even if it was Ludveck, the head of Crimea's traitorous forces, who was suffering. The fact was, she could not look away, for Ludveck might be able to kill her with his lance with his dying breath.

Ludveck's body twitched, and he tried to raise his lance to attack her, but his hand lost its grip and the lance plummeted from his grasp. He gave her once last desperate stare before plummeting out of his saddle. Once it collapsed on the ground, his body twitched like a fish that had just been thrown out of water, and finally moved no more.

The warriors of Crimea, both Royal and Traitor alike, could only watch the scene in shock. Lethe and her Gallians watched the scene with grim eyes, for they too were hardly amused at this gruesome sight.

Ludveck's men immediately dropped her weapons.

And Lucia collapsed on her knees as well.

Though her enemy had surrendered, though she had emerged victorious with few casualties on her side, Lucia could not smile.

She had killed a man… No, she had tortured him to death… But somehow she did not feel so guilty. Did that make her any more moral than Ludveck?

Soren approached her, trying to comfort her, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Lucia's mind was in shambles. Was she a monster, or was she merely fulfilling her duties as a Crimean Royal Strategist?


	19. A Tellius Coalition

Chapter 19: A Tellius Coalition

With a heavy heart, Soren ended up dragging Lucia back to their allies in their primary citadel at Delbray. Leaving several soldiers at The Great Bridge in case of an enemy raid, Tauroneo and the others decided that they had to make some final preparations before moving out.

The enemy had finally been destroyed, and with Ludveck gone the revolution collapsed almost overnight. The aristocrats and renegade ministers who had dared to consider joining Ludveck were captured by Crimean Royal troops when they attempted to sabotage Lucia's plan and breach the north gate. Those who supported Ludveck were forced to either reconsider their loyalties or remain silent altogether. Crimea was united now, and she would stand beside her allies in the face of this continental crisis.

Lucia remained gloomy and uncertain of herself. She'd killed several enemy troops on the field, why was Ludveck's particularly gruesome end any different? What made slashing down an enemy halberdier 'normally' right compared to impaling Ludveck with that armorslayer? She couldn't answer that question, so she remained depressed and silent as their comrades gathered in the war room.

Tauroneo was the first to speak. "Though the Confederacy's assault on Crimea has finally been thwarted, the fact remains that Daein, Begnion, Kilvas, and Goldoa remain under its yoke. We might not have seen many dragons in our last few campaigns, but that does not mean that we are safe by any means. There is clearly something going on within Begnion's chain of command that is giving us a current advantage, but we cannot depend on that advantage if we want to destroy the Confederacy once and for all. General Geoffrey, as commanding officer of the Crimean army, I ask you: how many resources do we actually have? Phoenicis is probably the only nation that can truly fund our war effort, for both Crimea and Gallia have faced the stinging agony of civil war..."

Geoffrey shared an uneasy glance with Elincia and Titania, but he answered the question nonetheless: "Ludveck's men have surrendered many of their resources, and most of them have been incorporated into our army in this short time. Their resources are ours, now, but this war has drained much of Crimea, as you can tell, General Tauroneo. Even so, Crimea will not capitulate once again. We are still more than capable of producing the weapons we need to strike the Confederate armies, and with Begnion comrades within our ranks the liberation of Begnion proper will be much easier."

At that, Bastian began to speak. "Aye, and Sir Tauroneo, our men hath foundeth many weapons of war within the Confederate lines. I'm sure they'd be very useful for thy plans."

"What kind of weapons?" Tauroneo raised an eyebrow.

Bastian lifted a crossbow and showed it to the entire group. "'Tis a crossbow. It fires a quick bolt, as one can see." With that he pointed his crossbow at Boyd and pulled the trigger.

"Gah!" The warrior ducked as a bolt flew over his head and nailed itself into the wall behind him.

As Bastian chuckled, everyone stared uneasily at him, except for Tanith, who calmly strolled forward, grabbed Bastian by the throat, and began to choke him.

"That was what a traitor would have done. Do you want to be executed for sedition, Count Bastian?" She snarled. She had had enough of these renegade ministers. Personally, the knight wouldn't mind cutting them all down, and if none of her comrades would make a move, she'd finish this personally.

Elincia began to step forward. "General Tanith, he was merely being foolish. For the sake of our alliance, I ask that you release him immediately."

"Tanith, stand down." Sigrun called.

"Yes, commander." She sighed as she dropped Bastian, who began to wheeze.

Lucia slowly got a hold of herself. Calmly stepping over the gagging Bastian, she picked up the crossbow and examined it.

"This would be quite a useful weapon. We should spend some time examining it and training our soldiers to use it. This could definitely help some of our soldiers in a bind."

"Since our forces don't have the resources to move forward, we should fortify our current defenses and spend some time researching this 'crossbow.' It's the end of summer by now, and the fall harvest will come in a few months. If we can ensure that the Confederacy cannot invade us in the meantime, we could gather the resources from that harvest to move forward and strike the enemy." Zelgius nodded.

"Phoenicis is still engaging in border skirmishes with Kilvas. If you aren't going to strike the Begnion heartland just yet, then I shall take several of my hawk brothers and we will go defend our homeland directly. If you need us, don't be afraid to give us a call. I'll leave Janaff here to help serve as the head of your scouts. Ulki and I shall return to Phoenicis." Tibarn added.

"Then we shall regroup here in a month or so. I pray that Ashera will bless us in the battles ahead." Sanaki ended the discussion, and our heroes quickly separated.

* * *

The crossbow was not a difficult weapon to learn. Snipers and Marksman, having spent their lives studying the bow, found it easy to use a crossbow. It allowed for a swift bolt to take out an enemy soldier without forcing the user to tire herself by drawing a bowstring.

Lucia herself had taken up a crossbow of her own, and along with Rolf and Shinon had begun training herself in its use.

Bastian and Calill, having chosen the knife instead of the staff, found it smarter for them to take up the crossbow, too. A mage who could not defend herself in battle was a dead one. It took a while to utilize the proper incantations for some of the stronger spells, like Arcthunder, which made it critical that one learn how to use a non-magical weapon in combat. If knives were the ideal melee weapon for sages, than crossbows would be their ideal ranged weapon. One hit was all it took to split the enemy's helmet in half, for a well-placed shot by a crossbow bolt was very devastating.

* * *

The shooting range was empty that particular summer morning as Lucia pointed her crossbow at one of the targets. Closing one eye, she fired and struck the bull's eye with a single shot. She had spent weeks training with this weapon, and they had finally paid off.

As she went to retrieve her bolt, she spent a few moments staring at the bolt-head. This particular head was serrated at the edges, perfect for ripping through armor and flesh.

How much agony would such a weapon cause? She stared at the weapon in wonder as she walked out of the shooting range. She continued to stare at the projectile, with the memory of Ludveck's death coming back to her. The swordsmaster did not notice the large hulk of armor that stood at the nearby armory, and slammed headfirst into it.

Laughably enough, that hulk of armor was General Tauroneo. He felt it more realistic for him to train with his armor on, for keeping his armor on him would best mimic battlefield conditions. He'd be slow, so he would have to act accordingly. To train without his armor would make him unused to wearing it as he fought.

Lucia gasped as she stepped back. "Apologies, General. I should have watched where I was going."

Tauroneo stared at the crossbow bolt, and looked back at her. Was Lucia deep in thought? Why was she still carrying that particular bolt instead of keeping it in her quiver?

The girl avoided the older general's eyes. "If you'd excuse me, General, I must get going."

"Lady Lucia, pray wait a moment. Is something bothering you?"

"Er…" She hesitated. Now was not the time to talk about such pointless things.

"You seem tense… And ill at ease… As a fellow comrade I cannot let that stand. Pray tell, what's bothering you?"

"Well, I…" She continued to avoid his eyes.

Tauroneo sighed. "Very well, if you are unwilling to tell me, that's your decision. But know that you have a willing ear."

Lucia gulped. With a sigh, she finally gave in.

"Thank you, General… As a veteran of many battles, I'm sure you'll find this question ridiculous, but, may I ask, what do you feel when you kill a man?"

Tauroneo's eyes widened. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"The battlefield is not a place for humanism. If you still feel such agony after killing enemy soldiers, then you should probably leave… War can only destroy the human spirit at best. Keep your humanity and lower your sword, Lady Lucia, or it might consume you."

Lucia looked honestly surprised. "But it hasn't consumed you."

"Oh, I assure you that it has, but I try to keep what remains."

Lucia gave him a confused smile.

"But let me tell you this: You have chosen to defend Crimea with your blade. Thus, you have chosen a path of blood. If you insist on feeling for every person you kill, you will make yourself unable to continue walking that path. Eventually the combined weight of all their souls will crush you, and you will collapse. Mark my words, Lady Lucia…

"Thus, that is why you have to set those feelings aside if you intend to defend Crimea with your life. Mourn for the dead when the war is finished. You have shouldered the burden of battle. To throw that burden off because you cannot handle it's weight would make you betray the duties you have acquired. Why take up duties that you cannot fulfill? Crimea needs you, now, and it needs you more than ever before because Crimea is at war.

"Yes, war is terrible. Yes, too many people have died and will die in order for this war to end, but that is why we fight. We are not like Ashnard or Ludveck, men who spread the chaos and who ensure that war will continue. We are not consumed by bloodlust, but at the same time we shed blood. But we'll have to continue shedding blood as long as this war continues. If you still feel pain for those you kill, then you've proven yourself to have kept parts of your humanity. But those parts will have to remain silent if you want to maintain the resolve you need to end this war. Fight for the battle's end, and consider all our enemies who fell sacrifices for that end. It's horrible, yes, but you chose this path. Now walk it until you see victory! Then, and only after the war is over, can you lower your sword and fulfill your duty. Once the war is over, peace will finally return, and peace is what we all want."

Lucia's eyes widened. "But men are tortured before death. Ludveck… I saw his eyes… He hated me, but at the same time he was suffering…"

"War is suffering, Lady Lucia. There's no denying that. That is why you must fight to make peace come as soon as it can."

"But General, what I did at Melior…"

"I've torn a woman's torso in half when I attacked a Sniper who was cutting down my unit's wyvern air support. She held her bow and continued to fire at my comrades as I approached, as though she knew I was coming but wanted to cut down just a few more fliers before death finally claimed her.

"I stabbed her through the side with my spear, yet she did not die and struggled to break free. It was horrible. All I could hear was the sound of cracking bone. I had to finally end her pain by tearing my spear through and cutting her in twain… That sight would likely force most men to go insane…"

"General…"

"Those who choose the path of blood will be haunted for a lifetime by what they did, yet we do what we must in order to make peace come. War happens when people are too stupid to communicate properly, and so too many people die horribly. Ludveck died a horrible death, that much is true, and no one can justify such deeds, yet because he died tens of thousands of Crimean lives were saved. What say you to that?"

Lucia could not answer him. She only stared at him wide-eyed.

"Do not trouble yourself with such things, Lady Lucia. Hold that sword of yours with pride in spite of these circumstances. We fight for something greater than mere conquest or self-gratification. We fight to liberate Daein and Begnion from the Confederacy. We fight to protect Gallia, Crimea, and Phoenicis. We fight for something greater than ourselves. Never forget that, no matter what."

Lucia nodded. "Understood, General. Thank you…"

Tauroneo saluted her. "I'm glad to be of service, Madam."

"Madam?"

Tauroneo smiled. "As commanding officer of the Daein Loyalist Army, I had met with your sworn sister, as well as the Apostle and His Majesty Tibarn. In accordance with their decisions, you'll find yourself a new rank once our army regroups after we gather our resources from Crimea's harvest."

Lucia sighed. "To think that Crimea has to sacrifice even more to ensure our victory."

Tauroneo nodded: "Sacrifices are made every day. Men sacrifice their energy to bring food into the house. Women sacrifice energy to ensure that the house is safe and that gardens bring fruit. Everyone makes sacrifices for some greater gain. But now whole nations must make sacrifices for peace…"

Lucia nodded. "Then I guess all we can hope for is that this cycle of sacrifice can end." With that, she bowed and turned away from the older warrior. "And thank you for your council, General. You've put my mind at ease." She spoke as she walked away.

Tauroneo sighed. That girl was rather stubborn…

* * *

The Holy Guard were fine warriors, but with Janaff guiding them they became even better scouts.

Any Confederate commander stupid enough to try to infiltrate Crimean or even Gallian territory quickly found themselves torn to pieces by either laguz claws or beorc steel.

Thousands of bushels of grain found themselves in the hands of the Crimean army. Lucia, among others had shown the farmers sincere kindness in not wanting to take much of their yields, but Crimea was at war, and if Crimea were to cease its military affairs she would be crushed in moments.

And because of this, because their leaders actually cared about them, the people felt it necessary to do what they could to keep Crimea alive. They had witnessed Ashnard's tyranny firsthand, and they knew that men like Lekain would be no better. Even those under Ludveck, who had originally joined Elincia because she had not done enough for more rural areas, soon found themselves in full support of their Queen. Crimea's people would not let Crimea fall again, and hundreds of young farmhands joined the Crimean army's ranks.

With supplies, reinforcements, and a revived resolve, the Crimean Royal Army, Begnion Imperial and Holy Guard, Daein Loyalist Army, Gallian Royal Army, and Phoenicis Royal Knights gathered together. Though most of the hawk's strength remained in the direct defense of their homeland, Tibarn, Ulki, Janaff, and thousands of hawks gathered with their comrades, ready to help assault and gut the Confederacy itself.

His eyes scanned their formations, and he smiled. Raising his silver sword, he spoke.

"Warriors of Tellius, finally, we stand united after having to take care of that pest Ludveck. Finally, we can move forth and liberate our homelands from this Confederate curse. Through Crimea, Gallia, and Phoenicis are still nations of Tellius, they will fall if we fail in this endeavor. We must stand united. Our swords must be raised as one. We are a Coalition of Nations dedicated to tear the Confederacy to pieces and in freeing our siblings from its iron grasp. Rise and stand as one, my comrades, and we shall prevail!" Zelgius yelled.

Elincia stepped forth. "Henceforth our forces shall be known as the Tellius Coalition. Each national army within the Coalition will be considered a separate Wing. The following layout shall be in effect in order to maximize our force's efficiency:

"Head (Royal) Wing:

Grand General: His Majesty King Tibarn of Phoenicis

Master Strategist: Archsage Master Soren

Head Medic: The Apostle Sanaki of Begnion

Formation Overseer: Vanguard Ike

Within the Crimean Wing:

Wing Commander: Silver Knight Geoffrey

Field Strategist: Duchess (Trueblade) Lucia

Head Medic: Saint Rhys

Formation Overseer: Crisis Knight Kieran

Within the Daein Wing:

Wing Commander: Field Marshal Tauroneo

Field Strategist: Field Marshal Tauroneo

Head Medic: None (1.)

Formation Overseer: Trueblade Zihark

Wyvern General: Dragonmaster Jill

Within the Gallian Wing:

Wing Commander: Prince Skrimir of Gallia

Field Strategist: General Ranulf

Head Medic: Sage Knight Calill of Crimea (2.)

Formation Overseer: General Lethe

Within the Begnion Wing:

Wing Commander: Field Marshal Zelgius

Field Strategist: Field Marshal Zelgius

Head Medic: None (3.)

Formation Overseer: Seraph Knight Tanith

Pegasus General: Seraph Knight Sigrun

Within the Phoenicis Wing:

Wing Commander: General Ulki

Field Strategist: General Ulki (4.)

Head Medic: Sage Knight Bastian of Crimea (5.)

Formation Overseer: General Janaff"

* * *

"Sage Knight?" Geoffrey mouthed as he turned to Elincia. "I've never heard of such a rank."

Elincia smiled. "Considering our new crossbow weapon, and the fact that many sages have chosen the knife out of personal prudence, we've created a new rank for them, with Sir Bastian and Lady Calill as their highest ranking members." (6.)

Apostle Sanaki nodded and brushed past the two as she addressed the troops. "You veterans of the Mad King's War have proven yourself once again. Now we shall give you ranks that would fit your usefulness to the might of Tellius. General Geoffrey, you shall be inducted into the honored order of the Silver Knights. It's about time."

Geoffrey gasped. "You're kidding me… But, milady, doesn't each nation have its own order?"

Sanaki laughed. "Yes, but I was given the right to give each of you your ranks. But I don't hold a direct authority over you of course, General Geoffrey. Now, for the rest of you…"

(All protagonists that have currently been introduced, except for the Dawn Brigade and Bob, are now at third tier. Tauroneo and Zelgius are both Field Marshals as is appropriate with their third tier status. Future characters will appear at third tier unless otherwise stated. As for Lucia, her class is Duchess, which is basically a Trueblade who can use crossbows, sorta like Lyn.)

Tauroneo glanced at his new shield. "And so we begin our campaign anew… We shall march through Daein and Begnion. If this is what Fate dictates, then we won't disappoint her! Everyone, today we begin the liberation of our continental siblings from the Confederacy's jaws! Finally, we shall achieve the dreams we once muttered foolishly."

Lucia raised her blade. "All units, prepare to mobilize immediately. Once Master Soren has given each Wing Commander their main campaign plans, we shall move out. Marshal Tauroneo is right. Now we are no longer speaking of liberation; we are moving forth to fulfill it. Show the people of Tellius why you are knights of their Coalition!"

Gathered together on the west end of The Great Bridge, the warriors who pledged their lives to Tellius as a whole prepared to face their great enemy. Even if the future path would be horribly bloody and painful, they were ready to feel that pain. Death meant nothing as long as Tellius was freed.

* * *

1. Slot will naturally be filled by Micaiah. Daein's warriors tend to have a greater sense of martial duty and honor, and this Resolve tends to save them more often than not.

2. Because Calill, being Crimean and a first class sage, would love to help her Gallian allies who don't have healers of any sort in their army. She has quite a few Bishops of Crimea and Begnion to help her in this task, too. She's a Sage Knight and thus cannot use staves personally, but that does not mean that she can't oversee their healing operations as a sage.

3. Will eventually be filled by an enemy turncoat. Begnion has enough healers in its ranks to not worry about this rank yet.

4. In all three cases, Tauroneo, Zelgius, and Ulki are the most capable people to fulfill both roles.

5. Phoenicis has Gallia's dilemma, so Bastian will help. Since he's a Crimean Lord, he has several Bishops under his command as well. But healers are less useful for Phoenicis because hawks tend to be impatient and will not have the stave's magic reach them easily. Bastian may have the same dilemna as Calill, but he also has her credentials too.

6. Sage Knight: Tier three Sage that chose knives instead of staves. Can use knives for melee combat and crossbows for ranged/melee. They have chosen to wield non magical weapons in the event that their magical reservoir has been depleted or when they're under heavy fire and are unable to cast spells due to that battlefield state. Because they did not choose the stave, they go by the philosophy: "A good offense is the best defense." As long as they can provide wounded allies with cover no matter what, they can also serve their comrades quite well even if they can't heal them.


	20. Falling for Bait

Here's my first update for a long list of overdue updates. I was going to make this chapter longer, but decided against it... I wanted to release this ASAP to prove that yes, I'm still alive.

Chapter 20: Falling for Bait

Haar shook his head as streams of rain struck his face. With his eyes narrowed, he peered into the distance, but could hardly see the Fortress from here.

"Who gave Soren the bright idea to do recon in this kind of weather?" He groaned loudly. "I can't do anything at this rate… I'll fall back for now and get the hell out of this storm."

Fortress Sella, standing about forty miles from the Coalition's main encampment, was Soren's newest target. Taking that fort would not only give the Daein Loyalist Army a huge boost in morale, it would also ensure that Izuka's army would not be so arrogant in its belief that the Coalition was like a weak array of dominos. If his soldiers were dominos, Soren reasoned, then they were made of lead and would break any finger who tried to knock them over, let alone topple over.

But it seemed that, in this weather, gathering Intel on the enemy's position, movements, and the types of defenses they had prepared for Sella was impossible.

Therefore, Soren decided to toss his bait.

* * *

Skrimir grumbled as his unit moved out.

"Why did that puny beorc have to group me with weaklings like you?" He turned to Wendy, who shirked back at his glare.

Having been promoted to a Marskman, equal in rank to both Shinon and Rolf, Soren placed some newfound faith in the girl. She might have started out as a low ranking Sniper, but in a very short time she collected more kills than Rolf, Nepheene, and even Zihark combined. As a Sniper she proved deadly against their foes, and with more Ravens and enemy Falcoknights having shown up in the past few weeks, with additional enemy halberdiers and sentinels, Soren knew that Wendy would make for great fire support as Skrimir tore through the enemy lines.

Ranulf shook his head. "Stop complaining, Skrimir. Be glad that we have a decent Marksman watching your back in case Ravens start to mob you."

Skrimir grumbled. Those ravens were pesky foes indeed. They'd always dodge when he pounced at them, and they'd usually reward him with multiple pecks and slashes from their talons. He sighed. Maybe it was good to have a Marskman there to gun them down...

Their unit slowly inched towards the enemy's main encampment, and like a fish spotting the worm, an enemy Gold Knight moved out, followed by a swarm of Paladins.

"Oh great, I hope Soren has our reinforcements ready for us…" Ranulf muttered when he spotted the Killer Axe the Gold Knight was sporting.

Skrimir ignored his subordinate as he roared and leapt forward towards their advancing foes. With a sigh, Ranulf scurried to the left, hoping to outflank any soldiers that Skrimir missed, while Wendy began to fire frantically at the advancing Begnion army.

From a distance Soren smiled at his handiwork. As he predicted, Skrimir would grow mad with bloodlust, and that would be the perfect situation for him, for the enemy would be so terrified of Skrimir that they would prove easy pickings for that young lion's massive paws. It may have been reckless to send Skrimir and have him run ahead of his comrades, but knowing Skrimir and knowing their enemy's average morale, they'd all be fine. Soren had to wonder, though: Who in the Confederacy's right mind had the shamelessness to call himself the Confederate master strategist?

* * *

The bait was tempting, too tempting.

And the hook was sharp, very sharp.

It was sharp enough to tear through flesh and slaughter the fish, which, unfortunately for them, was what Soren was aiming for.

Skrimir alone tore a whole platoon of paladins to shreds before Ranulf, Wendy, or Zihark could arrive to help reinforce him. Alone, the young lion proved to be more than a match for those "trained" Confederate soldiers. Zihark and Ranulf could only exchange worried glances. It was a blessing that fire sages did not appear today, or Skrimir would have been a large hunk of fried meat.

Skrimir became so engulfed with bloodlust that when he turned his head and spotted Zihark, he mistook the trueblade's robe for that of an enemy's, and pounced, forcing Ranulf to snarl, pounce forward, and tackle the red lion. Before either could hurt themselves, Calill frantically cast Elfire and forced both to leap away.

While Soren had Rhys heal Ranulf, he personally cast Sleep on Skrimir, hoping that some rest would bring that lion back to his senses. Even when attacked, Zihark would not deliberately hurt a laguz. A feral one was another story, but to hurt a laguz would break Zihark's sense of honor. Soren respected that enough to not force Zihark to betray his values, no matter how foolish he knew it was.

* * *

"General Dalia, enemy forces have reached the gates of Sella. Your orders?" A Marksman clad in black bowed before a Daein Mage Paladin.

She scoffed. "Why didn't our legion at Nebula intercept them before hand? Now I have to mobilize our soldiers out to face them immediately. Half of those idiots are probably too terrified to deploy so quickly."

"Milady?"

"Oh, right. Tell all your fellow archers to position themselves at the parapet. The moment they hear an explosion from within the fortress, they should be ready to fire upon any enemy they spot, if the enemy hasn't emerged already. I want to shock our foes with a loud noise and use your cover fire to pin them to those encampments before our gates, and once that task is successful I'll send in the cavalry to crush them all. It may be a simple ploy, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to take down the Coalition's army."

The Marksman bowed, but before he left a Begnion Saint appeared and motioned for him to stay.

"General Dalia."

"What is it, Numida?"

"I hear that those barbarians have already made it to the clearing nearest this position, and yet you failed to stop them beforehand. Woman, do not forget that the Confederacy does not tolerate such incompetence. Izuka may have found favor with you and made you a Steadfast Rider, but I will not accept your authority. Don't expect any reinforcements from me if you fail here."

"Hah! Keep that mouth closed before my men slice it off. You expect me to need your help? You call me an ally, yet you continue to treat us Daeins like inferiors. What kind of ally belittles his comrades? Senator, if you would so kindly leave the premises immediately, then there won't be a report of 'friendly' fire on this battlefield."

Numida turned up his nose. "Woman, don't speak to your superior in that fashion."

"Superior?" She raised an eyebrow and turned to the Marksman. "Hmph. Lieutenant, please deal with this nuisance accordingly."

"Understood, ma'am." The Marksman bowed and grabbed Numida.

"How dare you, woman? I will inform Senator Lekain of this!... You shall…"

"Oh, just shut up." She scoffed as she gave him a punch to the face. Thankfully, Numida was knocked out cold.

"Er, ma'am, what should we do?" The Marksman turned to her cluelessly.

She smiled. "Get one of those Begnion soldiers given to us by Lekain and make him direct an empty supply wagon with this idiot as the only passenger. The enemy will capture Senator Numida and that fat oaf will be too terrified when he wakes up to say anything to Lekain. In the meantime, our main unit can fall back. Unfortunately Numida wasn't completely wrong. Our forces have low morale, and with the enemy so close to our position they will be too scared to strike them effectively. If we are to preserve our fighting force, then we'll have to fall back. Consider my earlier orders null and void. Let them take Sella for now. They won't have it for long, I assure you.

"Still, we should leave several Snipers to slow down their progress or maybe even pin them. If we succeed in keeping them grounded, we can have some riders tie them up in combat, and when I return with reinforcements the enemy could be finished… But that's only if everything goes according to luck. Pack your bags, soldier. We're most likely going to regroup elsewhere for the next few months."

"But Milady…" The Marksman protested.

"Listen to me, warrior, he who fights and runs away can live to fight another day. In the face of this onslaught, would you so foolishly throw your life away? Bringing Glory to Daein would mean to crush the enemy, but we obviously can't achieve that when the enemy is the one with the upper hand.

"Rather, make them think they're winning, that is our plan. We will let them take the fortress but leave nothing in it for them to use. Then, after they've made themselves comfortable, we surround and strike them from afar, using every distance tome and ballista we have!

"Struck from all sides, the fortress will eventually fall and Daein will prevail over traitors and warmongers. It's sad that we cock the knee to these Confederates, but as long as we play our cards right Daein will emerge victorious over all."

The Marksman's eyes widened at the notion that Daliah wasn't going to bend over and let the enemy win. Smiling, he nodded enthusiastically and relayed her orders. Hopefully, just hopefully, Daein would prove its superiority to the enemy and, in the long run, to those Begnion fools themselves.

* * *

Squads of halberdiers and sentinels rushed forward and found themselves having to take cover when the Daein Confederate troops unloaded every arrow they had on the Coalition's first wave. Though Soren knew that sending more soldiers in that kind of arrow rain was pointless, he couldn't afford to let Daein reinforce Fortress Sella and crush the Coalition's momentum.

Thus, Field Marshal Zelgius found himself advancing upon the enemy stronghold with multiple armored knights and Generals by his side.

"Our forces may be pinned, but arrows are nothing to us, right men? Stand strong and march through this pathetic rain of metal bits and we'll crush them. Once we've broken their lines, Master Soren will send us ample reinforcements. March forth!" Zelgius called, clanking forth with his sword outstretched. Naturally, countless Begnion Imperial, Crimean, and Daein Loyalist generals followed him.

Soren stroked his chin as he observed the battle from a distance. Turning to the other veterans, he spoke: "There are flags stationed in several areas on the sides of the enemy fortress. They're either making an ambush, or they're trying to make us think that their army's bigger than it actually is. If they were planning an ambush, they'd use different tactics, like a sudden flare or a bomb, to startle us and then make an attack. They wouldn't be stupid enough to set up brightly colored flags that everyone, including our forces, could easily see.

"Therefore I believe that they're trying to exaggerate their strength. We won't have to send Zelgius or his company additional reinforcements. Once he and his men slam through the gates, the enemy will be finished… But that must mean that they're planning to retake Sella. Men, don't be too surprised if we get attacked in the next few days, but rest assured that at the very least we'll have Sella's walls to help us withstand a siege."

"Soren… We should petition for additional supplies, and have cavalry troops defend them. We can't afford to let the Daein army send its full force upon us. They would have had the time to refresh themselves and keep their men full of stamina. The sooner they strike, the more tired our men will be. We have to keep that in mind." Lucia added.

* * *

With one swing of his silver blade, Zelgius split the gate in twain.

"Idiot… How are we supposed to repair it in time when the enemy assaults the fortress?!" Soren sighed.

"Hah! You're complaining when you're the one who failed to inform him in time? And you call yourself a master strategist. More like disorganized, runty planner." Shinon laughed.

The soldiers glanced at each other. Shinon had a point. Was Soren losing his touch?

"Everyone, maintain order! Since we haven't moved from our positions, we'll definitely have the energy to repair the gate after Marshal Zelgius takes them out. He's straining himself against the enemy while we argue amongst ourselves. Show some respect to your comrades! Especially you, Shinon. Stop mocking people in such a manner." Geoffrey scolded.

Shinon grumbled and went silent while Gatrie just shrugged his shoulders.

"Why're you so worked up, man? At least the scenery's pretty nice." Gatrie stopped talking for a moment to glance at Astrid, but Jill shot him a dirty look before he could try anything, so he hanged his head.

Shinon just shook his head and smiled. "Yeah, I already have one dumbass to worry about. Why waste my patience on another?"

* * *

Tauroneo sighed as he watched the younger man plow through thirty enemy snipers, thus finishing off the last of the enemy's unit. "I was a Steadfast Rider once, but, truly, age makes one far less competent for war. At least there's a new generation to take my place." The old man sighed thoughtfully as Zelgius ordered their unit to stand at attention.

Once he noted that their forces were in order, Zelgius turned to Tauroneo. "Commander, would you like the honor of raising our colors over this fortress? You are the Commanding Officer of the Daein Wing, after all."

Tauroneo smiled. "Why, thank you, Marshal."

Zelgius shrugged his shoulders. "Why thank me when this is your right?" With a smile, he handed Tauroneo the coalition's flag, which the warrior eagerly hoisted up Sella's flag pole. When they saw that flag, the army cheered and rushed into the fort.

* * *

Oscar and Astrid were in charge of guarding the supply convoy as it moved forth. Soren ordered Kieran and Titania to join them. For the first time ever, Oscar outranked Titania, and, in his eyes, this wasn't a comfortable situation.

But, on the bright side, Soren was kind enough to have Astrid with him. The strategist knew that if they were together they'd probably fight better, knowing that the other was by their side. It was obvious to the entire army that they were an item, so why not let them feel happy being together?

To Soren, it wasn't like they'd ruin his plans or anything. Oscar wasn't Boyd, and Astrid was far from incompetent. If anything he'd trust that they'd do well, especially with Titania's guidance. Besides, with those two lovebirds out of the way, the single veterans among his forces wouldn't be distracted by their, well, blatant displays of affection, and thus they'd fight with a lot more focus.

* * *

The fall of Sella did not go unnoticed by the people of Daein.

But somehow, the enemy failed to capture Numida and that blasted Senator escaped.

"General Dalia… Your obvious incompetence in dealing with the enemy proves to me that you are unworthy to be a knight of the Confederacy. Since Izuka has given us authority over you, I hereby order you to hold Fortress Nebula. Confederate forces shall move the majority of Nebula's men to Fortress Nox to avoid the enemy and fortify our supply lines between Begnion and Daein. If you fail in this mission, then rest assured that you will be executed if you do return to base in accordance with our military law. Hopefully, you will prove your skill on the battlefield and defend the city and its fortress from the horde of enemy forces. Both the Coalition and that blasted Dawn Brigade are in the area, so you will have to be quite vigiliant."

Dalia gulped. They were just sending her out to die like cannon fodder? She couldn't understand… Why did she deserve to be so readily sacrificed? "Understood, Senator Lekain."

"That is good. Now go forth, Confederate warrior, and hold the city from those bloodthirsty fools."

* * *

(1.) Mage Paladin: Tier Three Mage Knight. Because of their focus on warfare rather than research, those few mages who decide to become mounted and forfeit the path of a Sage become Mage Knights, and when they develop their abilities as riders and mages they become Mage Paladins. These classes are most common in Daein due to their martial focus (but Daeins did not use Mage Knights/Paladins during Ashnard's war due to Ashnard's apparent disdain for them.)

Mage Paladins can also be found occasionally in Begnion due to the fact that it's the largest beorc nation. Crimeans, however, frown upon Mage Paladins for their war focus, and tend to have Archsages pepper their armies instead. A few Mage Paladins have also developed the ability to use Light Magic, but they are not very common among their already meager community.

They can use up to Omega class in anima magic and swords (and those who learn Light can also use up to Omega class eventually), but tend to do so much later than Archsages do because they spent time to learn how to ride and fight… As Knights, they can't heal, making them much less useful than their Magvel counterparts, but they can easily hold their own against other Paladins and ___ Knights by blasting them to pieces with magic from afar, and then clashing with them with their swords.

As for Mist and others who walked the path of a Valkyrie:

Minerva: Tier Three Valkyrie (Mist is one because of the fact that she became a Valkyrie after the events in Gallian Nights.) Because of their longtime use of magic via staves as Clerics and Valkyries, Minervans have finally developed the ability to use offensive magic. Can cast significant light (up to Level B) light magic and strong anima (Level S in all three schools) magic, and can use swords and staves up to Omega level if they train well enough. Minervans (plural form) are known to be crucial in armies that have to travel long distances, since they can heal comrades and strike foes quickly with their high mobility.

* * *

Author's additional confessions:

Here's this: I know that the enemy is currently rather one sided, but Daliah will become quite similar to a certain Magvel character. Whether she joins the protagonists or not will depend on future events. There will be other enemies who will be less despicable, but a lot of the Confederacy's core members are not good people as Radiant Dawn proved, and I intend to express that.

Secondly, I've been reading some tactics books recently but I have yet to incorporate them into the fic, but don't be too surprised if you do see some strange maneuver show up in due time.


	21. Le Resistance

And this is the point where Aqua whacks himself for not studying for finals...

Chapter 21: Le Resistance

Laura polished her Physic staff. With a sigh, she turned to Noyce, who was busy polishing Tarvos, the axe he found in a captured Confederate encampment.

"How many more will suffer before Daein is freed? Ashera dictates that we must love our friends and our foes, after all." She sighed aloud.

Noyce shook his head. "There's no point in thinking about it. We are here to save Daein. Even if many enemy units will be slain in our coming battles, in the end the result will be well worth their sacrifice."

"How can you say such a thing?" She gasped.

"You show far too much compassion for those who would eagerly cut you down, Sister. This is not the time to mourn for them yet." The warrior just sighed. (1.)

Laura's eyes narrowed, and she simply turned away from her ally. "Your cold nature towards those misguided people will only consume you in the end. No wonder why so many hold such a great disdain for warriors in the end."

The warrior just shrugged his shoulders as he went back to his axe. Innocent people like Laura shouldn't be here on the battlefield if they retained such notions, he reckoned, but then again if everyone lost that kind of outlook their army would truly be a legion of murderers instead of comrades and visionaries.

* * *

Micaiah and Sothe reviewed their map of Nebula and the surrounding district.

"If Enjorlas's scouting report is still accurate, then it looks like the majority of Confederate troops in this area have fled to Nox. Why would they weaken their position when it is so close to our camp? Wouldn't they want to prevent us 'insurgents' from taking the city?" Micaiah wondered as she turned to her closest confidant.

"I hear that General Ike and the united Crimean and Laguz army have retaken Sella. With General Tauroneo in their ranks, many Daeins have rushed to their aid. I'm thinking the Confederacy is beginning to lose faith in its Daein Wing, and have decided on a strategic retreat in order to preserve the majority of their army." Sothe replied.

"General Ike, huh? Why would General Tauroneo, of all people, be working with him? Didn't Ike destroy Daein?"

"Well, from what I know Tauroneo and Ike's father, General Gawain, were friends."

"Ike is Gawain's son? But Gawain betrayed Daein by leaving her in those dark times. You're telling me that General Tauroneo would turn his back on his country simply because his friend's son is at the head of the Crimean army? Shouldn't Tauroneo be here?"

"Micaiah, you're forgetting that Tauroneo is commander of the Daein Loyalist Army. They left here because their army was too weak to maintain a stable hold on this region. The only reason why we're alive today is because the Confederacy can't seem to organize its soldiers well enough to keep its hold on Daein and fend off invaders at the same time. Otherwise, if they actually tried to get rid of us, we wouldn't be speaking right now."

The silver-haired maiden sighed. "I guess you're right. Still, they know that we've outmaneuvered and captured countless outposts of theirs. If we strike Nebula now, and succeed in capturing it, we'll make them somewhat embarrassed. I know they withdrew most of their troops on purpose, but to lose to insurgents and not to that united army under Ike and Tauroneo would be very embarrassing for the Confederates, right? We should move out now, when there's still a chance to startle them." (2.)

* * *

  
Soren tapped his fingers on the table as he viewed the campaign map.

Naturally, Lucia, Tauroneo, Tibarn, Titania, and Ranulf were gathered around him.

"It's obvious that we want to restore as much of Daein as possible, as only then can we inspire enough of her soldiers to fight for our cause... To do this, we will have to capture as much territory as possible, for that's the only way can we convince the Daein people that we can liberate that nation, and in so doing we can also influence some of her armies who are currently working for the Confederacy to join us.

"Here, Lucia, you proved to be more than capable of luring Ludveck to Melior and destroying him. Why don't you oversee operations here? I will take some of our men to retake Marado. General Tauroneo, would you mind accompanying me?"

Lucia and Tauroneo glanced at each other.

"I'll be glad to take care of things here, Soren, but will you be fine with only Tauroneo?"

Soren laughed. "I'm no genius, Lucia. Of course I'll be gathering more of our comrades, but I need Tauroneo to help me recruit soldiers rather than take them out. I'll leave both Jill and Haar in your care, but I will be taking the Holy Guard with me. As for your brother..."

"I'm coming with you, Soren. Geoffrey can stay here to assist Lucia." Titania spoke up.

"General?" Lucia turned to Crimea's old knight.

"But General Titania, the force here will be weakened if you come with me..." Soren muttered.

"If you go by that logic, then either of our armies will be weakened if I accompany the other. No, I think we'll need to keep our Crimean divisions in line, as they might feel uncomfortable marching deeper into Daein territory. With me in charge of your Crimean wing, we should have few, if any, problems."

"Titania is a fine leader. I'm sure we will need her in case our Crimean comrades do not feel comfortable being among so many Daeins... It is understandable why they would act in that manner." Tauroneo sighed.

Titania smiled. "Just give the word, Soren, and I will do as you ask."

Soren nodded. "Very well. I will take Janaff with me to help scout, for since your force is already here there will be little need for his support. Ranulf, you stay here to help Lucia, as Bastian is already stationed in Sella and I don't want to have to bring him here. With the Holy Guard, Generals Titania and Tauroneo, along with other veterans by my side, Marado should not be difficult to take. Lucia... I'll come back for you soon."

Lucia smiled. "I know. Godspeed, Soren."

"Aye, and to you, Lucia..."

* * *

With Aran already decorated as a Daein soldier, it was easier for the Dawn Brigade to slip into enemy camps and capture uniforms for their own use. Soon, their whole platoon found themselves smug in the dark uniforms of the Daein warriors, and like spiders searching for bits of food they slipped past Dalia's guards and broke into Fortress Nebula.

And during the dead of night, Lucia gathered Coalition forces in an attempt to take the citadel off guard.

* * *

"General Dalia, the perimeter has been breached! Enemy forces have taken down the west gate and are pouring in!" A halberdier bowed before the Mage Paladin.

"So it would seem that the enemy knows when my soldiers need to rest. Very well, send as many reinforcements as you can to stop them. If they think they've won, then they are sorely mistaken. Tell any Snipers you see to meet me in the central plaza. From there we will mount an ambush to catch them by surprise. Since they are so deep in our familiar grounds, they will not be aware of the various places from which we can pounce!" The general sneered as she slipped away.  


* * *

  
As enemy soldiers ran back and forth, panicked at the fact that Coalition troops had just broken in, the Dawn Brigade made their moves. Gant, Aran, and Enjorlas cut a path for Micaiah, Sothe, Laura, and Noyce as they slipped ever closer to where Dalia might be. "If either Laura or I get to her, we might be able to convince her to stand down." Micaiah had explained when they were still at camp. "Dalia is a Steadfast Rider, and the Daein people trust her... She had shown misgivings about Izuka's decision to join the Confederacy, and she may very well join us if we reach her in time. With someone like her in our ranks, we can easily gather more troops to take down Izuka and free our people."

So with that in mind, the Dawn Brigade sneaked ever closer to the Mage Paladin not because they wanted to take her out, unlike Lucia and the Coalition, but because they wanted her to join them. Since the Coalition was obviously drawing attention away from them, this was their perfect opportunity. Either they'd convince Dalia to stand with them in the name of Daein, or the Coalition would destroy their greatest chance to gather support. (3.)  


* * *

At the head of her army, Lucia leapt back and forth as she slashed down foolish reavers and sentinels that came charging her way. In this sea of anonymous enemy faces, Lucia spotted someone she hardly expected.

"Volke?!" She gasped before the assassin hacked down an allied Sage.

"Oh…" The aloof killer gave her a careless glance.

"Volke, what are you doing? You're Crimean, aren't you? Why…"

"One hundred thousand gold."

"Eh?"

"That's what they're paying me."

"So you'd sell us all out for that petty sum? Here… If I were to throw wads of money at you, would that make you come to your senses?"

"How much?"

Lucia sighed. "Two hundred fifty thousand."

Volke stood there for a moment, and with him distracted the other soldiers near Lucia slipped past him to strike other targets.

"Well?"

"You'd pay that much?"

She sighed. "I'd rather knock you unconscious, but I'm sure that wouldn't really help bring you back to your senses. So, I guess bribing you works for now."

Volke just nodded. "You have a deal."

* * *

  
Slowly, Coalition forces, led by Lucia, and the Dawn Brigade, led by Micaiah, closed in on Dalia from two different flanks. The Steadfast Rider knew that her time was up, and that this noose would surely suffocate her and end her career… But, more importantly than that, a defeat here would have her fail Daein, and she could not let that happen!

But these foes were strong, and the fact that so many of her soldiers were dead proved that they were far stronger than she had anticipated. Gripping tightly on her Tornado tome, Dalia knew that her end was near… There was no denying it. She had a few Mage Paladins in her ranks and she watched how swiftly a particular axeman cut them down from her right flank… Come to think of it, her main foe, the Tellius Coalition, was closing in from her left flank. What was this other force that was pushing towards her?

Her grip on her tome tightened. Today, she would die a Steadfast Rider, and nothing could take that honor from her! With a quick glance, she saw the left flank gaining on her position, cutting down the last of her personal guard. Turning her head, she pulled her mare's reigns and charged towards the right flank. As long as she could save one of her soldiers from death by plunging into the fray, well, so be it.

* * *

  
Micaiah blasted another halberdier down, and beside her Sothe cut down a sniper.

"Strange… The enemy soldiers here are of a lower rank, but they're even stronger than some of the higher tiers we've faced." Micaiah muttered as she darted forth with Sothe by her side.

Suddenly, a Mage Knight came riding towards them. "If you wish to reach the general, you'll have to go through me!"

Sothe smirked. Even though Noyce, Laura, and the others were busy cutting down soldiers from their flanks, he only could take care of this knight easily, but as he rushed forward he heard a voice:

"Fall back, soldier. I'll take care of them."

"But, Milady…"

"That's an order." Dalia spoke as she appeared, and the enemy knight withdrew.

Sothe twirled his stiletto… One strike and this could be over, but, then again, Micaiah had a mission to fulfill.

"General Dalia of Daein, I would like to parlay with you." Micaiah spoke up as she tightened her grip on her Thani tome.

"And who might you be?" Dalia blinked, keeping her hold on Tornado.

"Oh, pardon me…"

"Wait a second, don't answer that. You are the silver-haired maiden, aren't you? You're the terrorist who has been…"

"The only terrorists in Tellius are the very people who are forcing you to kill fellow Daeins, General Dalia. I saw that many of your personal guard were Daein warriors, and it pains me to know that I ended many of their lives, but if we as Daeins unite against Begnion's oppression, we will be able to save our people."

Dalia blinked. She was a Steadfast Rider. It was her duty to protect the people of Daein. When Numida treated her like cannon fodder, it was clear that he cared little about Daein's fate. All he wanted was for the Confederacy to be powerful, and for Begnion to naturally be in charge. (4.)

"You… You ask me to betray that which I have fought for this entire time…"

"And you'll tell me that you've been fighting for the right cause? Is that what you truly believe, General Dalia?"

Dalia blinked. This girl… She was quite brave to stand up to her.

Micaiah readied herself. In this current position, Sothe wouldn't get to her fast enough if Dalia decided to attack.

The Steadfast Rider smiled. "So that is why you've continued to give Begnion hell, isn't it? Hah, and they call you a terrorist and a bandit."

Micaiah blinked. "General…"

Dalia simply dropped her Tornado tome. "I shall fight against you no more. My soldiers and I are yours to command, Micaiah. Your vision for Daein is what we'd rather have, after all."

Micaiah smiled. "Thank you, General. As a Steadfast Rider, I'm sure you'll continue fighting for the good of Daein."

At that moment, Lucia appeared, but before both parties could fight, Zihark appeared from behind her.

Seeing two of his old comrades, Sothe couldn't bear to attack. "Lucia? Zihark? Is it really you?"

"Sothe? Wow… You've grown so big…" Lucia mumbled and lowered her sword.

"Sothe… Why are you here?" Zihark blinked. He had not heard of the Dawn Brigade, after all.

Sothe spotted the patch of the Daein Loyalist Army on Zihark's shoulder, and turned to Micaiah and Dalia with a smile. "Ladies, reinforcements have arrived."

* * *

  
1. Would it be appropriate to call Laura a 'Sister' in this context? I'm not Catholic so I have no idea.

2. By now assume that all Dawn Brigade members (veterans / notable protagonists at least) have reached second tier. If this were a game, this mission would be tougher as the enemy's roughly equally strong to the one that's been keeping Tibarn and Soren back, but the Dawn Brigade is understandably weaker due to a comparative lack of battle experience… However, with the Coalition also in the area, they have fewer enemies to fight and therefore will still be worth crap compared to the original cast, Bob, Relane, and the other allies that are with them.

Secondly, instead of making Micaiah just a walking idealist who's barely less naïve than Laura, I will attempt to make her a badass bookworm, or someone as similar to that as possible since she's not really a scholar. Reader, if you think that she's OOC compared to my earlier rendition of her, well, you are right. War can do that to you. (Micaiah takes several levels in badass, so to speak.)

3. Keep in mind that the Dawn Brigade and the Coalition are still different groups. Even if (if this were a game) they'd both be playable, the problem is that they'd still attack each other as the Dawn Brigade are an unrecognized Daein faction that has not pledged allegiance to the Daein Loyalist Army due to their inability to recognize each other. Yes, in war the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend, especially when all factions are squaring off in the heat of battle.

4. Surprise, surprise! Does Dalia remind you of someone in Magvel? (Replace staves with swords.) But I felt that ____'s fate was far too sad, especially when you make Duessel fight her. Thus, I decided to make this fic a bit more upbeat, as that's how this fic has been since it was first made, no? I haven't exactly killed anyone important (other than Bartholemu, but he really wasn't meant to be anything special), and therefore this isn't like the sorrowful end of Ethlin or Nasir (FE9 'bad' end) or anything of the like.


	22. Fiona VS Reason

Why such a long time to update?

One word: Life

Let's just say that I'm not online all the time this summer, and leave it at that. :)

Chapter 22: Fiona VS Reason

Jarod fingered his red hair as he stood before a young woman on a mare. He sneered at the thought of this girl thinking that she could lead a province. He had been a Sentinel for years, while this girl had just earned the rank of Silver Knight. She should be glad that he was willing to accept her as a 'superior…' Well, as long as he was in this region, he'd respect her judgment, but if she dared to bother him when he was in his normal post, then he'd force her to obey his superior guidance.

Suppressing the urge to laugh at this conceited neophyte, Jarod began to address her on the battle ahead.

"General Fiona, might I remind you that if Daein fails to hold Morado, the enemy will have two flanks from which to strike Nevassa. Once they take here, they can slip past the great Temple of Palmeni and assault Nevassa from the northwest. If they succeed in taking Nebula, they can evade our allies in Nox and Talegra and move towards Nevassa from the southwest. If our capital falls, then we will be doomed."

"With all do respect, General Jarod, why are you speaking in such terms? The Confederacy will still stand even if Nevassa falls, and Lord Izuka will be able to regroup our army at Nox. Our force will still be able to fight on." Fiona spoke, trembling slightly. The words that came from her mouth were not what she truly felt, but as long as she appeased these Confederate masters, her people would be safe… Jarod might even help her evacuate her citizens once the Coalition attacked, for in his eyes they'd serve as loyal warriors for the Confederate cause.

Jarod laughed. Perhaps this girl finally knew her place.

"Well said, Fiona. We must do what we can to ensure our combined might, or those fools in the Coalition will ruin everything we've fought for. They've already made our comrades at Sella look like idiots, and those brave warriors who tried to liberate Crimea were so brutally butchered by them. For their sakes, and for the Confederacy's sake, we have to kill those who guide the Coalition's banners."

"Yes…" Fiona gulped. Somehow it seemed as though she was digging her own grave.

* * *

"Master Lekain, Capitals Sienne and Nevassa are aflame with riots and protests. The people have noted our almost endless casualties in the course of this war, and with the Coalition inching towards Nevassa, many Daein Confederate citizens have considered the option of surrendering to the Daein Loyalist Army and accepting their jurisdiction over our own. We must find a way to prevent open rebellion within our ranks and halt the Coalition's advance, otherwise your great plan will come to naught."

Lekain smirked at his messenger. What would a simpleton know of strategy? By luring Coalition troops deep into Daein territory, he could strike Melior with even greater efficiency. Soren was inching towards Marado, a city which was a hassle to defend, and Nevassa was only a fraction of its once glorious might. The great ruler of the Confederacy did not expect to hold all of Daein for long, no, he knew that Nevassa would likely fall to the enemy, and that he'd only hold Nox and Talegra, but what Soren did not know was that Telgam, so close to Crimea's border, was the perfect place to stage an offensive. He'd strike now, taking Melior and destroying Coalition morale.

In war, Lekain mused, the strong survive and the weak are sacrificed as cannon fodder. 'Twas a pity that his task force was destroyed when it attacked Crimea and Gallia, but that only showed how weak those soldiers were. Since they could not prevail, they did not deserve to live. This was even more true when Crimean forces slaughtered the rest of his soldiers stationed in Crimea and Daein. The Coalition had been plowing through Lekain's cannon fodder. They were not winning, no, his elite soldiers were waiting in Gaddos. Telgam, and Sienne, waiting to crush the Coalition at the height of its advance.

"Don't worry." He told his messenger with a smile. "Believe in the fact that our strongest warriors have not even had the chance to enter the field. Field Marshal Septimus is holding Telgam as we speak, and once I give a signal, a legion of our finest Falcoknights will descend upon Melior. With the city undefended, as its finest warriors are currently in Sella, we will destroy the Crimean war effort and prevail. Each Falcoknight is carrying a tested armored General, so the enemy will have a harder time fending them off.

"As they try to clear up this mass of Falcoknights and Generals, our Seraph Knights, accompanied by Dracolords and Dragonmasters, shall swoop in to finish the job. More soldiers will pour from the peaks of the mountains that border Crimea and Begnion, and Crimea will be finished. We of Begnion have more men than Crimea can ever muster, and with each soldier being a tried veteran we shall destroy their pathetic army."

"Permission to speak freely, sir, but that's what you claimed when we first attacked Crimea. Our task force was destroyed and Crimea was able to gain the initiative with significant but bearable casualties."

"A wise man does not question his superiors indiscriminately. Clearly, you are not thinking properly. I just told you that my task force was not my trump card. Indeed, they were of a more mighty lot, but they are merely wolves compared to the orcas that are my finest warriors. We will prevail over the enemy, and when we do history will show that though Begnion sacrificed many warriors, we destroyed our enemy and reestablished our empire over all of Tellius. The Confederacy will prevail!"

* * *

"Very well, then, Fiona. I will leave a veteran officer here to assist you. Master Lekain has need of my strength elsewhere."

"General Jarod, you do realize that Marado is the only point from which the Confederacy can block the Coalition's advance into Nevassa..."

"Of course, but as you pointed out, we can do without her. This is a time where our great nation must give ground in order to regroup and restore our strength. We're too large for our own good, especially after losing so much of our fighting force. Good luck, General Fiona. May Ashera be with you."

And with that, General Jarod abandoned the Confederate garrison at Marado, leaving Fiona and a certain General Laverton to fight on their own.

* * *

Janaff came flapping back to base.

"What did you see?" Soren spoke.

"Getting down to business, eh? Well, it looks like Jarod withdrew a lot of his troops from Marado, having them teleport away via Warp stave. The enemy commander is Fiona, of the Daein Confederate Knights, and she has Laverton, a Begnion Field Marshall, with her. We might be able to convince both that the Confederacy has abandoned them and that they can join our cause instead."

"Knowing the Confederate mindset, that would prove difficult." Soren sighed.

"Haven't you seen several regiments of theirs join our ranks? I thought you were more confident than that."

"Sometimes you just can't beat sheer stupidity, Janaff."

"..."

* * *

Both armies arrayed themselves on opposite sides of the Maradan Creek.

"We're finished." Laverton groaned. "In a few minutes they will come pouring over whatever barricades we have, natural or otherwise, and we'll be ducks in a shooting range. General Fiona, prepare yourself for this last stand."

Fiona gulped. Had she really dug her own grave? Did she come this far in her journey only to face the nightmarish jaws of the Coalition? She had pressed her face into the ground, groveling before the mighty Confederacy in the hope that Marado would be safe, and now they left her to die like this. Fate was quite cruel indeed.

No, she could not fail her people. If death would be her reward today, then she'd face it with pride and honor. She was a knight of Daein. No one could take that from her. As the Guardian of Marado, she would die protecting this district from the claws of its invaders!

* * *

"General Tauroneo, we both do not want anyone to die, enemy or otherwise, in this sad place. Seeing as how various farmers hid from us as we marched past, it's clear that these Daeins have either suffered greatly, or have been mislead into not trusting us at all. I think it's a bit of both. I ask that you help convince the 'enemy' to stand down and join us. Once they recognize you, I have no doubt that half of the 'enemy' force will come to our side." Soren sighed as he turned towards Fiona's formation.

"..." Tauroneo blinked. Did Soren always have to be so serious?

"Rest assured, Soren. I will do what I can to talk. Whether they listen or not is up to fate."

Soren smirked. "I suspect you have better oratory skills than that, General."

Tauroneo smiled right back. "Well, I try to reduce one's expectations, as that tends to make them less likely to crack when they are not met."

"Good thinking, though it doesn't sound like an average General."

"So you thought of me as 'Average?'"

"No, I'm praising you. You've always been both experienced and sharp with regards to our plans."

"Why thank you."

"Enough with the stiff formalities, General. We have reinforcements to woo."

* * *

Fiona gasped as the Coalition's banners came into view.

"If I strike now, then this will be over... General Laverton can retire in peace, and Marado will be spared from suffering. Forward, everyone! We must destroy the enemy in the name of Daein!"

* * *

"General! Enemy cavalry are closing in!" A Dracolord yelled to Tauroneo from high above the field.

"They're striking already? What are they thinking? Get into position!" Soren yelled.

Fiona sprang towards her foes, knowing that this charge would be her last.

"Forward, sisters! In the name of Izuka!"

"Oh that's just great. Another lunatic. General, if you won't talk, then I'll have to take action. Gale!" Soren spun around and lifted his right palm. The winds began to swirl around the Archsage, and a gigantic stream of wind bellowed from the depths of his palm. Fiona, the Dragon Knights escorting her, and her Paladin guard were swept away by the green stream of magic, and when the storm passed the commander of Daein's Moradan Confederate wing found herself alone.

The rest of her army began to charge towards Soren, Tauroneo, and their Coalition troops, but Tauroneo calmly clanked forward and gave her a hand.

"Why are you helping me?... Wait a minute." She squinted her eyes to examine the knight.

Tauroneo just smiled.

"General! I... We all thought you were dead." Fiona gasped.

Here was a Steadfast Rider in the flesh! So this was what Lord Izuka meant by "traitors among the enemy."

"Dame Knight, it is pointless to continue fighting..." Tauroneo smiled grimly, but before he could continue...

"Why... Why are you standing against Daein once more? You turned on His Majesty Ashnard and killed Bryce's elite guard, among countless other warriors. Why do you attack your countrymen in its darkest hour, _Steadfast Rider?!_" Fiona nearly spat at him.

Tauroneo just stared at her: "Your accusations would have made sense if Izuka had Daein's welfare at heart. If that was the case, then I'd really be a traitor, and it would be disappointing, at least, for you not to administer justice and kill me. But you, Dame Knight, fail the see the truth."

He sighed.

"What truth do I need? You're guilty of sedition, breaching of army protocol, and treason to boot. Death should be your just reward." Fiona hissed.

Soren laughed.

"Tough words for a woman who's hand shakes as she holds her bow."

She gasped.

"How dare you refer to me so disgracefully!"

Soren smiled.

"A warrior who is so shaky with her grip is no warrior. Such incompetence is bound to get you killed... And you call yourself a General?"

"I... I need not hear such words from you. I am Fiona of Marado, and he who attacks my people will die by my hand!"

"Oh, sure, you seem to be full of hot air... Either that or you're too terrified to express yourself honestly. You're so afraid of me that you hide behind empty threats. Honestly, Fiona, we are not your enemy, so it is stupid for you to treat us like one. If you were to even glance at reality, you'd realize that you've been led like a sheep for so long. Izuka is not the voice of Daein, and since you're so blind I only have two options: either I can smack you 'till you become conscious, or you can recall how you've been used on your own." Soren crossed his arms.

Tauroneo just stared at the strategist. Did his tongue have absolutely no restraint?

Fiona was in tears. Jarod, Lekain, the Confederacy, the suffering of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and the fact that she was about to receive absolutely no reinforcements... It all made so much sense.

"How... How am I sure that you're not lying to me?" She sniffed, dropping her bow and fumbling for her lance.

Tauroneo smiled. "Have you not heard of the people rallying around the Daein Loyalist Army, or have you really been stuffed under a rock for so long?"

Fiona shook her head. She had heard rumors of thousands of civilians flocking over to the enemy side once the Daein Loyalist Army captured a county, but she thought it a mere rumor. Now, _the_ General Tauroneo stood before her, with so many standing behind her... This Sage who was with him was quite rude, but somehow she did not feel as though he was a bad person, persay.

Turning her head, she spoke to her soldiers: "Everyone, stand down. Today we shall fight no more. We don't need to waste our lives in Lekain's name any longer."

From a distance, Laverton found himself lowering his spear. Panting as he took off his armor, he smiled. "Ah, to not have to stand before an onslaught and partake in the massacre that battle provides... 'Tis a good day indeed!"

* * *

Slowly the flag of Daein's Loyalists was hoisted over Marado's citadel, and as he posted several of her soldiers at its gates, Soren turned his eye southward. If he was to liberate Daein and Begnion for good, he would have to strike at Begnion proper. A push from Gallia into the Serenes Forest would do the trick, as Gallian troops were well suited for forest and jungle fighting. That, and the taking of Tanas would give him the possibility of linking up with what was left of the Laguz Emacipation army and, possibly, Stefan's refuge for Branded deep in the Grann Desert.

Striking the enemy from multiple points was always a valued strategy, and the Coalition's chief strategist knew that victory depended on his ability to slowly eat away at the enemy's heartland. As long as he could maintain his momentum, Tellius's future wouldn't look so grim.


	23. Wavering Resolve

Chapter 23: Wavering Resolve

Relene slowly cleaned herself after taking down her fortieth kill: a Sentinel who had recklessly charged at a weakened tiger brother of hers as the Gallian Royal Army pushed towards Fortress Tanas.

It was strange that she hadn't had much time to talk to anyone during this war. She remembered Ranulf and Lethe's tales about both the Gallian Civil War and the Mad King's War, and how their comrades had gotten closer to one another because they were able to comfort each other during the horrific slaughter that surrounded them.

Yet, just before the Gallian army crossed the western mountains, she actually had the chance to speak to Zihark

_Tigers, cats, and various beorc rushed to their respective Hawk, Falcoknight, and Dragonmaster partners for transit over the mountains._

_Relene stopped halfway before she reached her partner, for she spotted Zihark preparing himself to ride with Marcia on her pegasus._

_In a matter of seconds, they made eye contact._

"_Zihark, I, I'm so sorry..." She mumbled._

"_It's nothing. You were right... People wouldn't have accepted us..." He smiled a joyless smile._

"_But that's not what really matters! I let fear block me from what I should have done."_

"_... Don't let yourself get distracted, Relene. Soon we will strike Tanas, and if you're not careful, you'll fall pray to the fire sages that have resided there."_

"_Eh?"_

"_Oliver was a man who kept various laguz as slaves. Because of that, he had plenty of Snipers and Fire Sages to watch over his bird and beast laguz 'collection.' I have no doubt that they're still crawling around somewhere in that castle."_

"_Zihark... You fought him?"_

"_Not exactly. Thankfully, I didn't actually engage him personally, I was cutting down a mage while Oscar and Ilyana struck him in a pincer maneuver. I watched Ilyana wince as she got hit by his spell, which somehow healed him slightly. Oscar had got him with a Killer Lance, which took him down, but that spell was fierce... I think Rhys called it 'Nosferatu' or something. Anyhow, you might see that spell in action again. Oliver might be gone, but I'm sure such a great palace has not been abandoned."_

"_If we stay together, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"_

Her eyes watered as she recalled the rest of that conversation. He just smiled and chuckled a little and replied: "Heh, perhaps."

Perhaps... That was rather cruel of him to say so. Perhaps, as though all those years they had spent together were nothing. He even added a fake smile to crush her further. Yes, she was in the wrong, but could he somehow forgive her and not give her some fake smile to hide how he really felt?

Suddenly, she heard a clank from her right, and a deep howl. Turning her head, she spotted Lethe striking the helmet of an enemy Marshal with her paw. Before Relane could help her friend, Lethe growled again and smacked the Marshal frantically until his helmet became loose, exposing parts of his neck. Lethe quickly bit down on her foe's exposed neck, tearing his Jugular vein and killing him quickly.

As her foe fell, Lethe leapt off the corpse and glared at Relene. "What were you thinking? This is a battle! If you don't pay attention, you will die. He was closing in on you from your right, but you didn't seem ready for him. It's a good thing I was nearby!"

"I'm sorry, Lethe."

"Sorry? What kind of response is that?! You could have been killed! Can you imagine how any of us would feel... To lose one more of our own to those Confederate bastards?! Don't let yourself fall so pathetically, Relene!"

Relene smiled. Lethe had a very harsh tongue, but she also had a heart of gold. In the end, it was the latter that counted a lot more.

* * *

As he tore through another wave of enemies, Ike's thoughts began to wander a bit.

He had been the person in charge, the go to guy during the Mad King's War. As the Civil War in Gallia raged, he had been the front-line beorc general and was most revered by practically every single veteran in their force. Needless to say, in two wars he was the chief hero and, at least in the eyes of his soldiers, their finest warrior. If there was an enemy any particular soldier couldn't defeat, well, then they knew that they could count on Ike to take him down.

But here, in this current conflict, it seemed like he was simply one of the officers in a vast army. The Coalition did not revere Ike much. Of course his safety was essential for victory, but he was no longer the glorious hero of Tellius. No doubt Crimea admired Ike for saving the nation, and Gallia thought highly of Ike's bravery and lack of racism, but the Coalition as a whole did not worship Ike as though he was a God among mortals. He was just one of their Generals, a man who was skilled at leading troops and fighting in battles, and thus someone of notable worth within their ranks. That was all.

Granted, he never asked to be Tellius's continental hero, but somehow it felt flattering for him to be in that position. Though he never really demanded anything from anyone, he preferred having that attention: that recognition that he was the main sword behind the restoration of Crimea and the fall of Daein.

Strangely enough, that honor went to Soren.

Soren was Ike's brother, and that would not change. Though they might not have had the same lineage through blood, the two men had stood by each other since they could remember. Ike would never think of turning his back on Soren, but it was a bit unnerving to have his 'throne' snatched away from the mage. To be honest, he was a little jealous, and this jealousy bothered him.

Everyone seemed to be turning to Soren, as though his mind could lead all of them to victory over the Confederacy. Even the Daein soldiers in their ranks, who knew that it was Soren who guided the destruction of their nation, counted on Soren to save Daein from Lekain and Izuka's clutches. Soren was their new hero. Soren's mind was their new divine entity. Soren would be their shining candle amongst of sea of Confederate darkness.

Soren... Soren... Soren....

And Ike was sick of that.

Still, Soren was the only person Ike knew who would never fail him. Even Titania's strength could wane. Even Mist could get cut off from him. Even Tanith could be easily taken out by a swift arrow. But Soren, no, even if Soren lost three of his limbs he'd still come crawling over to help Ike. Greil's son knew that the raven-haired sage would do at least that much.

Ike sighed as he slammed Ettard into another charging enemy grunt. There were times when things shifted around due to the whims of fate. Perhaps the sudden rise of Soren's popularity was one of those things. It would be better to support Soren instead of keeping such jealousy after all...

* * *

As the walls of Tanas castle came into view, several people shivered at the memory of what conspired there:

"Geoffrey... Don't leave my side." Elincia shivered slightly as their forces assembled before the citadel gates.

"Your majesty?" The knight blinked.

"Listen to me... What Oliver kept in that castle..."

"Say no more. If it was even half as horrid as Gritea Tower, I would still be firmly at your side. You need not worry, Elincia."

"Geoffrey..."

* * *

"Lyre, remember to keep your ears and eyes focused at all times. You never know when an Elfire will come flying your way."

"Lethe?"

"Let's just say that there were more Fire Sages than even Calill could handle." (1.)

"... I'll take your word for it."

* * *

"It is rather unnerving to come back here."

"I know what you mean, Ulki. I swear, if another freak with a Killer Bow shows up..."

"Janaff, you should help our main force spot any soldiers in the corridors ahead. We do not want another incident in which a Sniper tries to pick us off."

"Of course, Ulki, but stop being so paranoid. It's not like you wouldn't hear an arrow coming, right?"

"... I was talking about the time when that Sniper was going to hit you and you were too busy staring straight ahead to notice him."

"... Shut up..."

* * *

With a slash from Zelgius's silver blade, the gates of Oliver's mansion flew open.

"Remember, everyone, we will split into several small veteran groups. The main army will wait outside in case enemy reinforcements arrive. If we need your assistance, we'll cast Shine or something through a window or two. Oliver's mansion is quite large, and he had a variety of soldiers to help watch over his laguz slaves, and though our last assault was a success, I doubt they're all finished.

"It is very likely that this mansion was never abandoned, judging by the number of enemy troops that attacked us during our approach. Stay on your toes, and watch your backs. Even in groups, there is still a chance for us to be ambushed. As long as you stay vigilant, we should be able to come out of this alive and well. Forward!"

And with that, Soren raised his tome, signaling everyone to slip through the gates and into the enemy castle. Once they took the Citadel of Tanas, the Coalition would finally have a foothold on Begnion proper.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" A Begnion sentinel asked his colleague, a particularly well armored Marshal.

"I didn't hear anything, Roger... Roger?" The marshal turned to look for Roger. Strange, Roger had just gotten a bit worried, which was unlike him, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

The marshal shrugged his shoulders, and when he turned around his face met the blade of an armorslayer.

With one slash, Stefan brought down this enemy soldier, and, waving his hand, called Tormod and the others to him.

"We've gotten this far, and if we break into Tanas we'll be able to get enough supplies to help the others fend off the Confederate army. We've got to move fast."

"Right, Stefan." Tormod nodded. "Muarim, Vika, you two ready for this?"

Muarim nodded. "Little one, you must be careful."

Vika smirked. "Say the word, boss, and I'll swoop down on another one of these suckers!"

Tormod laughed. "Settle down, Muarim, be more like Vika. Yeah, it might be dangerous, but who ever said that we're afraid of danger?"

Muarim put on a worried face, while the other two were more than ready to move ahead.

* * *

Jill shook her head.

A sniper had spotted her, but as he was blindly rushing towards her, Zihark pounced on him from a darker part of the hall. She paused for a bit as allied soldiers ran past her. This place was far different from the massive villa she had once stormed and helped capture.

Oliver's old palace had large halls, and there seemed to have been new renovations that made them even more expansive, and new paths had been formed. Because of this, there were both more areas from which the enemy could pounce, and more places from which they could ambush their foes. With this sort of terrain, it became a must for each soldier to be far more observant. With enemies lurking in the dark, one had to be more than careful.

Haar had gone with another platoon, leaving her with Zihark among other comrades, like Laura. She trusted Zihark, and felt that Laura was a good person, and she knew that Soren would not have paired her with incompatible people, but still she felt that she'd be safer by Haar's side.

Still, even though Haar wasn't with her at the moment, she'd see him once Tanas was taken. She had to believe that...

* * *

As Tauroneo clanked ahead, with Rolf right behind him and Lucia and Soren watching their rear, the squad heard a flapping of wings from behind him.

"Sorry for breaking ranks, Soren..." Tibarn muttered, giving the veteran squad a light jolt, "but someone insisted on coming."

A beautiful heron hovered next to the great hawk, and immediately transformed back into Reyson. Naturally, the four veterans were glad to see an old comrade.

"Tibarn and Caineghis wanted me to wait in Gallia, but to wait in Gallia while my sister is in enemy hands is preposterous! My Galdr can help hasten our advance, so please take me along."

Lucia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

Soren nodded, and Tauroneo spoke. "Just stay behind us, Reyson. Remember that potent though your songs are, they cannot actually destroy the enemy. 'Sorrow' does have its limits, after all."

"Of course... But don't expect me to just be a dead-weight!" Reyson squawked.

* * *

Ike's sword tore another Marshal in half, and the young Crimean found this 'task' of his rather mundane. Was he meant to just hack off another few heads or limbs in the name of saving Tellius? Was that the purpose of his existence? Damn! If this was what Ashera had in store for him, then he would not continue to live in this foolish charade.

No, he would make a new path for himself! He would stop being Crimea's tool and start being someone who played by his own rules, as he ought to have done from the start! He was Ike, son of Greil, not Ike, Geoffrey wannabe! Geoffrey was Crimea's tool, and Ike was his own man!

It was at that moment when an Elfire spell flew past his ear, startling the General. As he staggered to the side to avoid the blow, a blue shape pounced past him and struck the mage down. The shape was Ranulf in cat form, and Ike's friend turned to the younger warrior with a confused expression on his face.

"Ike, you feeling alright?"

Ike took one look at Ranulf's expression, and sighed. So this was fate: he was meant to be Crimea's tool after all. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Let's keep on going."

Oh, well, at least he was getting paid something for all this.

* * *

Lyre hissed as her head darted back and forth. Since their squad had come across another intersection, Lethe and Rhys took one way, leaving her to move forward with Sothe. Now Lyre didn't mind Sothe, as he seemed to be a nice guy, and he seemed to worry about Micaiah a lot, which showed that he was caring. Yet, she was used to fighting alongside her sister and not some random acquaintance of Lethe's.

Their enemies just kept on coming, charging at them with the fervor of an angry bull. But it was clear that they were also just as idiotic.

Wave after wave of halberdiers and paladins fell before the pair, and Lyre could swear she saw Sothe yawning as he cut down another soldier.

She couldn't help but wonder how she could remain so calm. Yes, as a Gallian she was trained for war, but each kill left a scream, and each kill left so much blood...

It was cruel, really, how she could so easily kill so many people who wanted to serve their country so badly, even if their leaders were wrong. It was cruel how she couldn't seem to feel for those she killed. Lyre shook her head. Had she really become so cold?

At that moment, the ground underneath her began to shake, and Lyre screeched. Her paws were burned by a sudden Bolgagone spell.

Before the magma could erupt from the ground and engulf her, which would complete the spell, Lyre heard a roar and a streak of green flew past her eyes, tackling an enemy archsage who was incanting that cursed fire spell.

That growl sounded familiar, and a streak of fire from a distance had Sothe yelling: "Tormod! Is that you?!"

"Tormod...?" Lyre mumbled. Something about that name sounded familiar.

"Lyre, are you alright?" The green shape began to move towards her.

"Muarim!"

* * *

1. Yes, I played FE9, and, no, I don't remember seeing so many snipers or sages in that chapter, but this is a dramatization in a sense, making our hero's exploits so much more amazing than they already are. Therefore, I hope that you play along, fellow fans who played Path of Radiance. Those who played Radiant Dawn probably didn't find the Oliver/Tanas chapter with that many snipers/marksman/sages/archsages (never actually played FE10), but I hope you'd understand that supposedly Oliver would have enough soldiers of certain types to fend off "pet" laguz, even though he could use laguz weapons.


	24. Turning Point

Chapter 24: Turning Point

Oliver's massive frame bounced as he jogged as fast as he could for the rear entrance to his mansion.

The Coalition was hot in pursuit, cutting down any of Oliver's guards who had enough honor to stay by their employer.

Somehow, Oscar's lance failed to penetrate Duke Tanas' mountain of blubber enough to kill the man, and he survived to continue his gruesome hobby of collecting laguz specimens.

Yet there was something called 'bad karma,' and Oliver had a monopoly on it.

The Gallian army was bound to conduct raids on Tanas sooner or later, and if they wouldn't then the Laguz Emancipation Army would certainly come after his head. As he considered the circumstances that led him to this point, Oliver realized that he should really have upgraded his defenses accordingly. Remodeling his mansion definitely wasn't enough to stop intruders from getting to him.

But why was beauty fated to be lost? Were those years of gathering specimens all spent in vain? Was he a fool who appreciated beauty in an ugly world?

The walking vat of blubber could not accept this as his fate. He was the champion of beauty, a man who understood its glory when all these idiots spent their lives destroying it. Men like Ike killed lovely ladies left and right in the name of "protecting a nation." Were those ladies of the Begnion Confederate Pegasus Knights not beautiful in their own right? Since Ike killed them, did that not make Ike a destroyer of beauty? Was standing against him so wrong, then?

So why was Ashera punishing him now, when his defense of beauty was such a magnanimous cause? This made absolutely no sense.

* * *

Dalia shook her head at the shameful sight before her.

A lone Halberdier in her trusted company took out three of Oliver's Sentinel guards. Even with their higher ranks, fancier armor, and sharper spears, those tried warriors were inferior to one who would have been their subordinate had they been in the same army. Dalia's men might have lower ranks and relatively weaker equipment, but they were of a far greater caliber than their foes. She sighed at the fact that the rank of Sentinel was tarnished by these idiots who dared to carry it.

The Coalition had finished off most of Oliver's guard, yet the fat man was escaping. Somehow he fled towards the Grann Desert, though Stefan knew full well why he'd run there.

The Confederacy had sent several companies of its warriors to the Grann Desert in the hope of annihilating both the Laguz Emancipation Army and the Branded forces hidden there. If they were able to take down all naysayers, they'd be able to uphold their so-called honor and dignity.

With allies in the desert, Oliver clearly hoped to regroup with them.

But none of the Coalition's leaders would let him have his solace.  


* * *

The Crimean strategy tent had a few new faces as the Coalition gathered to concoct a plan to hunt Oliver.

"He got away... But we're not finished. If we could use the hawk laguz to intercept his position..." Stefan clenched his fists. Oliver would not get away!

"Stefan, you're forgetting that we have few options at this point. We were unable to track his movements, so we'll have to scan every acre from here to the desert if we hope to catch that pig." Titania sighed. Things just had to get so complicated.

"I guess I have no choice." Micaiah spoke up. She hadn't spoken much since the campaign, what with Soren, Lucia, and Titania serving as their main brains behind their operations. "I found an old staff in a Confederate storage facility, but I feared that none of us would be skilled enough to use it."

"That's a warp staff!" Lucia and Rhys spoke at the same time. The priest blushed in embarrassment and decided to let the girl continue. "They're quite rare, and only used by the church on specific occasions. I saw a picture of one in an old book in Melior's library."

From outside the tent they heard a scoff. "To think that Lekain would steal so many of them from Sienne's church. He has no shame, that wretched man."

"Empress..." Lucia muttered, surprised that Sanaki would join in on the conversation for once. Normally she'd remain in her tent, accepting only Sigrun and Tanith as visitors.

"I will help you use the Staff, and it can take any one of us to a particular point. With my current skill, I can transport someone about 10000 paces from here. The thing is, we have no idea where our target currently is, so warping them is pointless."

At that declaration of her abilities, Rhys and some of the others froze. 10000 paces was a considerable distance, but considering the might of Cymbeline it didn't seem so unlikely.

"We can call Janaff. He can help use his great eyes to see Oliver from the sky. Afterwards the Empress can warp some allies to Oliver's position and from there we can take him down." Muarim pointed out.

"Ulki might be able to hear him move about. It's not like he's a nimble target at all. If we use both the King's ears and eyes, we can track him and take him out." Titania added.

"I'll volunteer to bring his crimes to an end. From what I hear from Sothe and the rest of you, he deserves a just punishment." Micaiah nodded.

"Micaiah, I'd appreciate it if you only served as fire support this time. I will personally gut that pig, if Muarim or Tormod won't first." Stefan grit his teeth.

"Little one and I will also go..." Muarim spoke.

"Wherever Micaiah goes, I will too." Sothe spoke from beside Micaiah. Wherever she was, he would always be by her side.

"That makes a squad. I can teleport that many as a maximum, but I will be unable to fight for a few days afterwards. Soren, if you can spare me for that long, we can proceed with this plan." Sanaki turned to the strategist.

"I'd hate to not have Cymbeline available for that whole period of time, but if we can get rid of Oliver now, I won't have to worry about him later. I'll manage. Proceed, but be safe, all of you. If any one of you falls, victory will take that much longer to manage, and its sweetness will be bitter instead."

Sanaki eyed him strangely, while Lucia just smiled.  


* * *

  
"My lord, our attempts to strike the enemy's flank at Nebula from Nox have only been met with equal force. Apparently Count Bastian will not let the region be retaken, and our knights have met death time and time again. With Fiona having been left in Marado as part of the Coalition, we have an enemy on our northern doorstep. If Nevassa falls, we will be struck from both the north and the west! Our glorious nation will be finished! Begnion will..."

"Dame Catalena, it would be wise for you to look back on this situation. Do you not realize how I am luring our foolish foes into an even deeper trap? They believe their eastern flank is secure, so they've decided to strike into Begnion's blessed heartland. With the fall of Tanas, I've lured them into the very depths of my trap. Once they've been terrified enough, the warriors of Telgam will deploy themselves towards the enemy for a final gambit, and because there are so few troops left in Melior they will succeed in taking the city, crushing Coalition morale and allowing me to finish them off. Fear is the greatest weapon man has even known, yet there are simply too many cowards too meek of heart to use it. Our victory is assured."

"But our country, our countrymen... The Goddess blessed us with such power, so should we not all be allowed to bask in that glory? Why... Why are you sacrificing so many of our countrymen with such appalling tactics? Master Lekain, I do not understand how a champion of Begnion would use his people like... Like pawns..."

"You've said so much. Would you like to speak any further? I have a crossbow that would be glad to meet your acquaintance. It can respond quite fiercely as well."

"By the Goddess... How could you be her champion?"

Lekain began to mumble a spell, and a ball of light energy began to form in his hand.

"I am this close to personally executing you for heresy, Catalena of Ashera's Holy Guard. If you wish to retain the rank that the traitor Sigrun forfeited, or if you wish to breathe tonight, I suggest that you leave these premises immediately. If the death of some peasants is so appalling to you, you can engage the enemy yourself and get rid of them for me. I'd appreciate that a lot more than these disgusting words of yours."

"... Very well..." Catalena turned and darted away as fast as she could.

Lekain summoned a Sentinel to his side. "Gather several Marksman and keep many eyes on her. If she falters for one moment, kill her. I would be very pleased if you executed her in front of her troops, for that would be a most humiliating end for such a proud commander, wouldn't it?"

The Sentinel gulped. "Yes, my lord..." And he departed.

Lekain laughed. These fools believed in him because he promised that Begnion would find glory in reestablishing her former hegemony, and as long as they kept believing in him he could finally achieve his dream. With Tellius in his hands, nothing else could stand in his way!

* * *

"That fat lug has almost reached the desert. Empress, you can warp our comrades to the edge of the Pelazor field. From there they can overtake Oliver before he reaches his allies in Grann." Ulki spoke, listening intently to what Janaff was trying to tell him.

"Your laguz abilities amaze me, Ulki. At any rate, are you all prepared?" Sanaki turned to the five warriors standing before her.

"We'll fry his arse and send his guards running for their lives!" Tormod clenched his fist.

The others merely nodded in unison.

"Very well... Bringing you back will be irritating, but good luck all the same." And with that, Sanaki raised her staff...  


* * *

Oliver lurched forward with what remained of his personal guard, hoping to regroup with the Confederate army and thus escape his pursuers.

Before him, however, Stefan and the others materialized.

"A warp stave? But how...? Lekain told me that he'd acquired them all..." Oliver gulped. "My death would be an insult to beauty... Move aside, ye of ugly hearts! I am needed to spread beauty when the Confederacy prevails!"

"Oliver, you gluttonous bastard. Bask in whatever fantasy of beauty you may have, for you're going to be turned to mincemeat in a few moments." Stefan raised the Vague Katti, while the others readied themselves.

From behind Duke Tanas, the survivors of the Tanas Guard hurled themselves at the squad of Coalition veterans.

"Arcfire!' Tormod yelled, sending a wreath of flames to engulf and fry his foes. Unfortunately, only three members of the Tanas guard were caught in his flames.

Muarim sprang forth, tackling another two with his momentum, but that left three more soldiers for them to handle.

Tormod was busy readying another spell, and Muarim was taking out the soldiers he had tackled, so neither could react quickly enough.

Sothe dashed forward, and with a swish of his wrist an enemy went down. His training under Volke had surely paid off.

Micaiah raised her hand. "Thani!" A ball of light came crashing into an enemy soldier's helmet, wiping him out.

For the last man, Stefan dashed forward and with one cut split his "opponent" in half. Charging forward, he rushed towards Oliver with the ferocity of an eagle diving at a rabbit.

Oliver shielded his eyes and yelled "Rexaura," and a stream of light came raining down from the heavens upon poor Stefan.

"Physic!" Micaiah yelled as she raised a stave in Stefan's direction.

"Arcfire!" Tormod yelled again, stunning Oliver as a wreath of flames descended upon him.

With Tormod's fire support, and Micaiah's healing touch, Stefan stood once more. "A pity you stand alone, Beast of Tanas, for now you are no more."

"No... What a loss... To beauty..." Oliver groaned as Stefan rammed his sword into the Duke's gut.

* * *

Stefan and Tormod glanced at Micaiah strangely as they waited for their allies to take them back. "I never knew you had a Physic stave with you." Tormod remarked.

"Ha ha, I found one in a storehouse too." Micaiah chuckled embarrassingly.

"Long story short, we took whatever we could use. I figured that if these were stolen from innocents, then they should be retaken and used against the guilty." Sothe scratched his head.

"Thievery in the name of good is thievery nonetheless, but butchery and oppression must be stopped at all costs... We should return these items to their owners if we can identify who those owners are." Muarim remarked with a sigh.

"Yeah, um, that's what we plan to do... Uh, as long as we can find those owners." Sothe stammered.

Muarim shook his head. No point trying to be too patriarchal around here.  


* * *

Marcia and the others carried them back to base camp, where Soren planned for an assault on Telgam.

"Thankfully, from where we are now it would take at least four days to reach the enemy citadel. Empress, you would have rested well since then." Soren smirked.

Sanaki rolled her eyes.

"But, at any rate, if we take Telgam now, we destroy any chance for a Confederate counterattack. However, it's clear that this will not be an easy task. We'll have to move fast if we want to take the fortress with the fewest amount of reinforcements." Soren proposed.

Without many options, Empress Sanaki, the technical commander in chief, decided to move forth in kind. Only with Telgam's fall could the Confederacy truly meet defeat.

Unfortunately for the Coalition, Telgam was a legendary citadel.

With its massive walls and giant moat, it was thought to be impenetrable.

But the most crucial aspect of Telgam was its gigantic watchtower, a spire that could rival the Tower of Guidance in its sheer height and width. From this tower, Falcoknights and Dragonlords could emerge to strike any advancing foe, and this watchtower was well known as a sort of landing pad for various Begnion fliers to land or lift off from.

Because of this, Telgam had to be taken as soon as possible, otherwise any invading force would be overwhelmed by a swarm of aerial units quickly and mercilessly.

* * *

With the fall of Tanas and the Coalition approaching Telgam, Lekain knew that he had failed.

He should have struck when he had the chance, he reckoned. By hesitating for that month, he allowed Soren to arrive in Gallia and move over the mountains. Perhaps history would say that he lost because he was slow, not because he was incompetent.

No, he could not let that be his epitaph! He was Lekain, Ruler of Tellius. Nevassa, Sienne, Goldoa, their strength was his. Izuka, Naesala (to a degree), and Deshingea were his pawns. How could anyone hope to wrestle his Empire from him? Crimea and Phoenicis were just lucky, and their strength could save Gallia and the Apostle from death, but one could not cheat death forever. He would prevail over these Coalition fools, and Tellius would stand under one order once again.

* * *

The Coalition's main force encamped itself less than two kilometers from the outskirts of the fortress. Knowing that the Confederate army did not dare send its soldiers out too readily, Soren knew that his camp, though insultingly close to the enemy lines, would be relatively safe.

Lethe hissed. If an enemy tactician did the same to her regiment, no, she would not let him do so without suffering extreme pain. Placing his camp so close to their base would only show the Confederacy how little Soren thought of them. Any simpleton could conduct a night raid and do significant damage to the camp because it was so close, and Soren's army would be unable to do the same because they would be resting, and any fortress would be far more defensible than an ordinary army camp... So either Soren was the most arrogant pedant she had ever seen or, or he was ingenious enough to provoke his opponents into becoming angry and thus not keeping level heads.

But, in actuality, Soren was Soren, and Soren liked to taunt those whom he felt deserved those taunts.

Back in the fortress, the Confederate soldiers mashed their teeth together as they watched the Coalition set up their camp.

Who did they think they are, acting as though the Confederacy were a bunch of cowards?

Yet this was probably a trap. Soren was trying to lure them into a weak position, and when they'd enter he'd ambush them, just like Lucia when she caught Ludveck in her snare. They saw how Ludveck died, so they knew that they could not hope to fall for the same trick.

So, in their moment of indecision, the Confederates received a welcome visitor.

"All units, report your status immediately."

"Lord Valtome!" The soldiers were shocked. Why would the Senator show his face at this time.

Valtome tried to keep a straight face. This wasn't a time to laugh, and it wasn't a time to cry. Tanas had fallen, and because they failed to hold that fortress, the enemy was closing in on Telgam. The fall of Telgam would destroy any chance of theirs to quickly conquer Crimea, as the Daein front was not going well and there were no other Begnion positions that close to Crimea's heartland. Telgam would be a turning point in this battle, and if his men weren't prepared, he would lose everything.

"So, are you men going to sit and let Soren push you around? You're not a bunch of walking dominoes, are you?" Valtome scoffed, throwing his head back and letting his hair fall on his shoulders.

Strangely enough, it seemed rather feminine, and some of Valtome's soldiers began to feel uncomfortable, so to speak.

"But commander, Ludveck died because the enemy feigned weakness to lure him in. We shouldn't..."

"Ludveck died because he was an idiot." Valtome scraped his nails, cutting off the protesting Sentinel. "Ludveck did not realize that a seemingly empty castle is the best kind of trap there is. Your soldiers will be cut off and ensnared from within. He was smart enough not to fully enter Lucia's trap, but the problem is that Lucia had the upper hand in that particular battle because she had a whole wall behind her with enough archers to gun down any support Ludveck could have mustered. With that, Lucia was able to terrify him and cut him down."

The Confederate soldiers stared in awe. So even Valtome could become serious in the face of this foe. Did that mean that they were really doomed?

"But..." And with that Valtome began to grin. "You're forgetting our current situation. We are the ones who have the benefit of a citadel in our hands. The enemy is in a camp. This time, Soren is not Lucia. His troops are in a camp, a place where soldiers mostly rest, where there is an open area all around his position. From this open area our cavalry can outflank him, and if they strike hard and fast they can break his soldier's morale. From there our main company of knights will plow through his encampment and destroy him! With our mages casting flames and arrows filling the skies above him, Soren's army will be destroyed and he will finally be defeated. We'll win for sure!" Consumed with the thought of victory, Valtome began to giggle.

The protesting Sentinel shook his head. Why was it that his comrades were so simple minded? Rushing your opponent like a pack of rabid dogs was not the strategy that prevailed against Soren or Lucia. They witnessed the deaths of Ludveck and countless others who used those strategies, and yet Valtome was about to do something similar... Would they ever learn?

Then again, he was the one who enlisted in this army, so fate dictated that he would die along with it.

* * *

"Lucia, if I may, why have you ordered so many soldiers to pull back? Aren't Soren and the others still at camp?"

"Muarim, don't trouble yourself with them. That only shows how stubborn or unobservant they are."

"... Don't tell me... You aren't going to sacrifice them, are you?"

She scoffed. "Hmph! You think I'm that heartless? No, the enemy needs some convincing motivation to get them to strike, and when they do we have to be ready for them. If this is what it takes to wake Soren out of his stupor, then so be it."

"... You really are one bold Beorc. Never have I seen someone like you... Not even Lethe would pull such a stunt."

"Hey! I'm right here, you know!"

Lethe, Lucia, and Muarim stood quite a distance from Soren's encampment. Knowing full well that Soren's extremely close position would infuriate the enemy enough to strike, Crimea's Royal Tactician decided that the best way to break an enemy attack would be to strike at their moment of glory. That kind of ambush was the best kind, for not only would it immediately crack their morale, it would also have them fleeing with few casualties on either side (as they'd be running very, very soon.) Those kinds of victories left room for lots of negotiations, and she hoped that she could convince these fools to lay down their arms.

It was strange how the Confederacy lost so much yet insisted on fighting to the end. Their gambit in Crimea's heartland failed. Their hold of Daein had weakened dramatically, and now the Coalition was liberating Begnion, having already taken Tanas. With the full might of Gallia at her side, Lucia knew that this ambush would come out quite nicely as the enemy would scream at the sight of so many fierce tigers and cats.

"Still..." Lethe hissed. "If you don't mind me saying so, these beorc are truly stupid."

"No offense taken." Lucia nodded.

"... I was referring to both our foes and our friends still in that deathtrap of a camp."

"Well, I guess Soren needs to realize that he can't pull these kinds of stunts and expect a quick victory."

"Exactly! You'd think that he'd learn from his own victories, at least, but it looks like he's only slightly more intelligent than that rabble. If only Gallia wasn't caught off guard, and if only we hadn't undergone that civil war, we could have crushed this Confederacy long ago!"

"I find it strange how you continue to clamor about Gallia's might when that hardly matters at this hour, Lethe. It's obvious that Gallia's strength has already been deployed." Muarim mumbled.

"Where's your pride as a laguz? I'm telling you that we could have won earlier, Muarim! Stop contradicting me!"

Muarim sighed. If they bickered any further, the camp could fall before they could spring their trap.  


* * *

"I still don't get why Lucia made us all wake up at 5 in the morning to pull this stunt. Those idiots in that castle have heard about what happened in Tanas, I'm sure. Is she really paranoid enough to think that they'll strike us now?" Ranulf yawned.

"You're just bitter because she made us wake up. If you ask me, now I finally feel safe enough to spread my wings." Janaff sighed. "We were so close to those beorc's bows... I could almost smell their stench, and I'm not a beast laguz like you!"

"It's troubling to know that there are enough straggles for the enemy to get lucky." Tibarn grumbled.

"Your majesty, please don't use such negative words! I'm sure Lucia'll strike before they can actually do anything." Janaff squawked.

"Janaff, you're getting worried now? Hah! That'll be the day." Ranulf purred. He might have been half asleep, but seeing Janaff get worked up over Tibarn saying something slightly disheartening? Priceless.

"Shut up." Janaff ruffled his feathers with a smirk.

"I hear clapping in the distance. It appears that the enemy has begun to move." Ulki spoke grimly, surprising the other three laguz.

"We should inform Lucia quickly. Wait... I'm the quickest one here... By your leave, King Tibarn." Ranulf nodded as he shifted into cat form.

"Go on, Ranulf. Janaff, Ulki, are you two ready to dive in and give them hell?"

"Of course." Ulki nodded.

"I'm always ready to teach these foolish beorc a lesson." Janaff grinned.

* * *

"Falling back to strike later is an acceptable strategy, but I only wish that we could liberate Telgam sooner." Tanith groaned as she eyed the massive tower ahead.

"I hear you. It is heartbreaking to see so many of our old classmates arrayed against us when everyone knows what Lekain or Izuka's true intentions are... They are our old friends, and yet their blind obedience forces us to cross blades. I knew that this could happen, but even so I cannot move forth with my usual resolve..."

Sigrun shivered at the thought of skewering an old friend.

"Stop your whining, Sigrun. Do not forget that these "old friends" have chosen to serve a man who would eagerly sacrifice so many of the souls who would lay down their lives for him in the name of conquest and destruction. If these "old friends" choose the path of death and ruin, then we must correct them by any means necessary. I do not have friends who would cause destruction for its own sake! They are our foes, and by defeating them we will save Begnion. Don't let anything stand in the way of what is just and honorable, Sigrun. Now you must raise your spear for our country."

Sigrun blinked. Tanith seemed rather eager to fight in this battle.

Still, Sigrun could not correct her deputy. It was true that these former comrades were fighting for a man who would stop at nothing to break the peace that so many had enjoyed, and as a holy guard she could not stand by and let that happen. Her heart was not to be trusted in this battle, no, instead she would have to set it aside for what really mattered.

* * *

He heard a few shouts outside of his tent, and soon those shouts became the screams of panic and anguish.

Soren rubbed his eyes. What could be going on this early in the morning? He did not recall ordering a general charge. Could they have already breached the enemy gate?

Sticking his head out of the tent, Soren suddenly dived back into his shelter. An arrow whizzed past the space that his head once occupied, and the tactician realized what was really going on:

The enemy had not been intimidated by his bold move. Rather, they reacted to it and had begun to lay siege to, or perhaps even penetrate, his camp.

He could hear the growls of laguz as the Gallian troops stationed within their camp lunged out and attacked their aggressors.

He could hear the frantic whizzing of arrows. Perhaps Rolf or Astrid had awoken and were providing those laguz with cover fire. Soren knew that Shinon was too proud to ever be panicked, and Shinon would be cursing him out at this moment, anyhow.

Gripping tightly onto his various tomes, Soren emerged from his tent, ready to cut down these attackers and rescue his men!  


* * *

Lucia looked uneasily as the camp burst into flames.

She wanted to teach both the enemy and Soren a lesson, but if everything went wrong, then Soren would...

No, Soren would not go down so easily. He had fought countless battles and had come out in one piece each time. This skirmish would be no different.

She had to believe that... She had to believe that for if anything happened she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

* * *

As enemies closed in from all sides of the camp, Soren and the other veterans within it scrambled to find a way to repel their aggressors. From without, Lucia and the warriors who went with her waited patiently for the right time to strike. Yet, as with many of their strategist's tactics, it was all a gamble. If they waited too long, Soren would fall and the Coalition might very well fail without him. If they moved too swiftly, the enemy would be able to reinforce their numbers and the rescue attempt would become a group suicide mission. With this dilema, Lucia found herself barely holding together under this pressure.

Even though they had reached the turning point of their campaign, the warriors of the Coalition could easily lose everything if they hesitated now. Life or death hung in the balance. In a matter of moments, they could either win it all or lose everything.


	25. Freed from the Tiger's Claws

Chapter 25: Freed from the Tiger's Claws

The enemy swarmed the encampment as Soren tried his best to save himself and his men.

From every imaginable angle, the archsage saw a threat heading his way. Yet, somehow there seemed to be few veterans around him. Those who were still at camp, such as Nepheene or even Oscar (as Lucia wanted someone reliable to also be around to protect Soren in case the plan did go wrong), were too busy fending off quite a few foes on their own. Thus, he found himself blasting away at enemy troops alone.

Lucia... He couldn't spot her in the chaos. Knowing her, she'd come running towards him, hacking down enemy soldiers to reach him. Together, they could perform combination attacks upon enemy units, but since Lucia was nowhere to be found, Soren had to watch his own back.

Soren watched Astrid pop out from her tent and feather a soldier that was headed for Oscar, before rushing to his side on foot. She was not a sniper in the strictest sense of the term, but a silver knight was well versed in archery regardless, and thus she could hold her own even though she was on the ground.

Unsurprisingly, Oscar lifted her onto his saddle, and found himself able to attack enemies normally without being affected by the shift in weight, and thus Astrid found her own shots to be far more accurate, and devastating as a result. Together they took down anyone who tried to get close.

Soren could just stare at the couple and shake his head. Watching them made him miss Lucia more.

But it seemed that the enemy wouldn't let him take a break. Three gold knights came charging from behind him, and with a sigh Soren raised a hand in their direction and yelled "Gale," sending them flying from that green hurricane. It was funny how Tornado required more training in the arts of Wind magic, but it made sense since Tornado concentrated more power upon a smaller number of foes. Gale, like Smack, was based on Elwind, but Gale required much less energy than Smack and could strike a wave of targets. Soren decided to save Smack for more troublesome foes. (1.)

More units started to pour in: Marshals, Seraph Knights, even Marksman, and the soldiers stationed with Soren did what they could to stay alive.

Soren continued to twirl about, blasting foes until he saw a Tornado slam through enemy lines, and Dalia rode forth.

"I finally found you. Get on, quickly. We have no time to waste." She spoke sternly.

"General? Did you find Lucia? Whatever happened to the others?" Soren asked eagerly.

"I found no one, other than Sir Oscar and Dame Astrid over there." Dalia pointed her thumb in their direction. "Finding you was already a miracle. We have to get out of here, otherwise we'll be overwhelmed. There just aren't enough of us to prevail. Several of our finest soldiers are down already."

"We cannot leave now... There are too many soldiers who will die if we leave immediately. It is a fool's move either tactically or morally for us to abandon them."

"You were more of a fool for letting us get into this situation." Dalia scoffed. "But enough of that. Master Soren, we have to leave: NOW."

Soren gulped. There was no arguing with her, was there?

It was at that moment that Lucia sprang her ambush, and the countless regiments of soldiers that she kept hidden emerged and surrounded the enemies who were trying to get rid of their main camp.

Upon seeing the sheer number of allied soldiers that came up from behind their foes, Dalia laughed. "Looking for Lucia? Well, there's your answer."

"The thing is..." Soren gulped, showing her that he actually could feel worried. "Will we be skewered on an edge of a lance before she reaches us?"

"You're not that weak, are you, Soren?" Dalia chuckled.

For a moment, Soren paused, then smiled. "True. It'll take them forever to get rid of one of us, let alone together. We should make it a priority to save our trapped forces and maintain our morale, since it's pretty clear that the tables have turned."

"That we shall." Dalia nodded as she reared her mare. Soren quickly held onto her waist as Dalia plunged them forth towards the bulk of their weary army.

* * *

The hours passed, and the Confederate army frantically cut a path through Coalition lines to flee back to Telgam's gate.

At the same time, the Coalition's remaining forces hurried to Lucia's main camp, taking whatever they could from the camp Soren had established initially. Sanaki was furious at Soren, no doubt, while Elincia was speechless and Tibarn was completely silent.

"Why do we have you as a strategist if you'll just get our men killed?" Sanaki hissed.

Soren glanced hopefully at Sigrun for support, but all she and Tanith could do was give him cold stares. Tanith even had a vein bulging out of her forehead in spite of her calm coolness, and Soren began to feel quite nervous.

Though Dalia was friendly with him on the battlefield, she too just gave him a glare. Tauroneo and Titania did not look amused either, and Soren began to sweat.

He glanced at Lucia, who refused to look at him.

"Er... I made a major strategic error when I placed my camp there. I greatly underestimated the enemy's morale and tactical sense. Their supposed gambit nearly jeopardized our operation, and I ask that you take consideration of my earlier successes and not demote me just yet." Soren muttered, staring at Sanaki with pleading eyes.

Elincia, who knew exactly what Soren was capable of, seemed eager to bend and vote for the continuation of Soren being in charge of their operations, while Tibarn seemed to merely consider it. He needed at least two out of the three rulers to approve of his post, since Skrimir probably couldn't understand half of what was going on and Daein had no equivalent member to speak of, as Tauroneo was technically Soren's subordinate and Dalia was a relatively new recruit.

"It is because of your earlier successes that I am appalled that you would even consider such a stupid move. I should have Tanith twist your arm a few hundred times for being such an incredible idiot. Because of that decision, countless brave soldiers of ours are dead, dead because they trusted you with their lives! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have you flogged this very minute!"

"Empress! We've gotten this far because of him, to exec..." Elincia stammered, but was quickly cut off.

"I didn't say 'kill him,' for I'm not suicidal, but I did say flog him. Though he should be dead for the number of casualties he caused, intense pain is a fair enough compromise that would whack him back to his senses." Sanaki crossed her arms.

"Permission to speak freely, ma'am..." Dalia began, but Sanaki had already nodded before she completed her sentence.

"... I fully agree with that flogging, and I think we should add a few punches to the face for good measure."

Soren glanced at Titania, for if Ashera had any mercy she would have the other major officers object to Dalia's cruel proposal, but Titania and Tauroneo merely nodded. "By military law, such a blunder deserves a demotion to boot." Tauroneo added.

Soren was just about ready to get on his knees and beg Lucia to stand up for him...

But at that moment he just laughed. That would be a spineless move. "Very well. I understand that I deserve a just punishment for what I did back there." His face grew more solemn. "Those brave men are dead because of me... But if I were to be removed of command now, their deaths would be in vain. Lucia is no doubt an excellent strategist, but I fear that her track record is insufficient for this particular mission."

"What?" Lucia glared at him in shock.

"Sorry, Lucia." Soren smiled embarrassingly, but his face reverted to a stern expression. "But I already have a plan in place to take Telgam. Empress, if you allow me to make up for that horrible failure and retake the citadel, the casualties we have suffered will not have been in vain and our mission will be fulfilled. Let my future deeds make up for what I did today. If you still wish to punish me in the aftermath, I will not object for my mission will have been complete."

Dalia blinked. Surely Soren wasn't bragging. He'd gotten them this far, and she trusted that he'd succeed here too. "As a longtime veteran, I think that's fair." She muttered.

Titania nodded. "I can vouch for him. Soren does not break his word, and if he does an execution would be in order."

Lucia staggered, startled by Titania's frankness, while Soren suddenly shivered as though he was hit by a blizzard.

Tauroneo just turned to Sanaki, to see how she would respond, while Elincia clasped her hands together with joy. Tibarn just shrugged his shoulders.

"He is our best strategist, and he's our best bet for taking Telgam." He mumbled.

Sanaki sighed. "Very well. You'd better take the city with as few losses as possible. Your performance will determine the punishment you will receive... After all, I don't want Lucia to be devastated enough to become unable to fulfill her duties as well. If I had to execute you I'd be losing two strategists with one stroke."

Lucia just blushed, speechless at that declaration, while Soren also looked away in embarrassment.

* * *

1. For the new weapons I have invented, I will be releasing a new Weapon chart towards the end of the fic.

But basically, Gale has an A ranking. Tornado has a S ranking. Elwind has a D ranking. All of these are what one would expect, no? Smack, like Cymbeline, is a special tome. Smack can only be used by Soren.

Also, I remember in an earlier chapter that Bastian used Rexcalibur against a bunch of ravens. Though Bastian is still that powerful, he's annoying enough for Soren to leave as a stationed tank in West Daein (AKA any attempt to take Coalition territory by Izuka will fail with Bastian in front of them.)

When it comes to damage radius (splash damage), Gale has the highest radius (hurricane, go figure), Rexcalibur (massive wind storm, though not as fast or wide as a hurricane) is second, Smack is third (since it's basically a wind cannon, though it could potentially kill more targets than both Gale or Rexcalibur), Elwind (smaller, weaker Smack) is fourth, and the others are practically moot when it comes to hitting number of targets.

Arcwind is basically a weaker, much narrower version of Rexcalibur with significantly shorter range, making Elwind more effective than it at killing lots of stuff at once. Tornado is just as it sounds, a Tornado. It has relatively limited range but deals huge damage to whatever it hits.

* * *

Sorry for the short chappy, folks. Just wanted to get this Arc over with before I can begin the main siege of Telgam and beyond Arc. Expect more Lucia tactics and more cutscenes with more characters.

And, oh yes, Ilyana is not dead. She's just, er, still in enemy hands.


	26. Charging Through the Inferno

Chapter 26: Charging through the Inferno

Valtome gulped.

Bands of enemy soldiers were moving frantically before his gates, as though they were urging him to come out.

His soldiers reported seeing Coalition troops in front of every opening, save the eastern gate.

It was as if Soren was taunting him into fleeing for dear life to Seliora or even Gaddos.

But, as one could imagine, the road to "safety" was marked with dozens of shock troops, with Lucia guiding them. Soren wanted her to be in the safest part of his vast formation while still being able to attack enemy forces. If any foe was stupid enough to try to run, Lucia would be ready for them.

Valtome turned to the highest ranking officer within the fortress: the Silver Knight Goldsberry, and ordered: "Hold this position. I'll return with reinforcements." With that, he twirled a warp stave and disappeared.

Goldsberry gulped. He knew what that meant. Valtome was sacrificing Telgam and Lekain's dream to save his own skin. He was a dead knight, fighting for a dead banner. The dream they all had for Begnion had finally become a nightmare.

* * *

Soren turned to Zelgius. "General. I ask that you be the first to break through the enemy defenses here from the west. I will come down at them from the north, and with Tibarn attacking from the south our triple assault should be more than enough to make them flee. Lucia will pounce on the evacuees, and this battle will be over."

"I can only hope it will end so easily, Soren. You do have a growing reputation for being too cocky."

Soren smirked. "You worry too much. Go on, and retake this position for Begnion."

And with that Soren scurried off to his own designated unit.

* * *

As the Coalition pounded into his gate, too frantic to starve his men out, Goldsberry was just about ready to take his own life.

"Men, we've had too many of our comrades die in this war. It's a shame that we were born at a time where Begnion becomes a warmongering wreck that insists on sacrificing every last one of her warriors. If the Coalition will not let us surrender, then we should retain our own honor in death. Raise your blades, and let us ascend to see Ashera together!"

And with that the other soldiers began raising their blades, and Goldsberry, realizing that he may have actually found his chance out of this catastrophe, slit his own throat, but as he died he realized that his men, in those critical moments, did not move at all.

The moment their commander lay dead, a Sentinel rose and addressed the army.

"Now that the coward is gone, we can proceed. All units, the enemy will try to break in through three separate entry points. It's obvious that with our numbers we could hold them off, but these are not simple foes who can be overwhelmed with numbers alone. Instead, we should give them our own trap. From the walls we'll have archers rain arrows down on them, to give the appearance of a struggle.

"As they "break" into what seemed to be a hardened door, they'll find an empty path ahead of them. We will let them lure themselves in further, and once enough of their units enter the fort we'll close all the gates upon them and have our men come forth from every direction. At that point they'll be too panicked to react properly and we'll be victorious. It might be an old, common strategy, but with our enemy so audacious they're probably too proud to even think of it as an option for us." He raised his spear and hollered.

The men raised their weapons and cheered along.

* * *

Dalia felt that the uproar from within the enemy fortress was rather suspicious, so she motioned for Titania to come over.

"It sounds like the enemy commander has just made some sort of speech. If you consider their best move, it would seem that they'd want to lure us in and ensnare us within the city walls. Since we're pressed for time, they're likely predicting that we'd try to overwhelm their defenses, which is exactly what Soren plans to do.

"With that, I have an idea. Their forces are covered with archers, but a full guard armor piece allows a flying unit to become immune to arrows. So, the moment Soren's plan is in effect, let's have Haar carry General Zelgius towards a gatepost on the enemy battlements. Their archers will do nothing to Haar with the full guard equipped, and thus General Zelgius can capture a gate for us with Haar's assistance.

"If the enemy tries to ensnare us, we'll still have a gate from which reinforcements can pour in. They know that we control a gate, so the enemy will realize that their plan has failed. When they flee to the east, we can thus destroy them."

"You're acting on assumptions, but worst comes to worst we would have a gate in our hands. It's doubtless that General Zelgius will seize control of the gate if that is his personal mission, so I think it's a fine proposal." Titania stroked her chin.

"I'm glad you think so. I'll relay that to Zelgius immediately." Dalia nodded.

* * *

Unexpectedly, the north gate fell with relatively little ground resistance. The arrows and spells that flew down from the battlements could be shrugged off by Soren and his veterans, so Soren eagerly rushed in with the rest of his men. With Ike to his left, and Kieran to his right, the strategist felt quite secure in his position. Elincia was technically the commander of this unit, and because of that he had Geoffrey's strength to rely on as well. Those three beorc knights alone could wipe out an entire legion of veteran soldiers, let alone the rabble that still held Telgam. (1.)

But what Soren did not expect was the lack of enemy troops meeting him upon his army's invasion, and he did not anticipate the gate closing behind him, thus cutting him off. Considering the speed of this move, the enemy had planned this from the start and had probably done so to the other units.

Soren cursed himself for lacking that foresight yet again, but turned to his men and cried: "They can bar our way out, but that will only make it impossible for them to escape! The enemy commander is finished, for with this move he's guided our blades to his throat!"

* * *

"My lord! Senator Valtome disappeared from Fortress Telgam! The fortress has just come under siege by enemy forces! They're making requests for several legions of reinforcements!"

"Fair enough, Numida. Get out of my sight." Lekain shooed the 'subordinate' Senator away.

"Am I a doomed man? Was my dream destined to fail? If I send troops to guard Telgam now, I'll probably lose them... It may be best to take the medallion from that sub-human heron girl and call upon its aid... I have few options now. Damn it! If only I had moved when I had the chance!..." Lekain cursed himself yet again for his slowness.

* * *

Following Dalia's plan, Haar was able to ferry Zelgius to the top of the west gate, and in moments Zelgius captured the gatehouse. With this "minor" victory, units that Soren had put on reserve could rush in to save their allies who thought they were trapped within Telgam's walls...

_All he could see and hear was the clashing of swords, the screams of fallen warriors, and the splashes of blood. Red stained everything around him, and as one who vowed for peace he could not stand to bear witness to such horrors._

_Zihark watched as an allied pegasus knight fell in front of him, revealing a company of silver knights headed straight for him. He was alone at this point. The closest ally was at least forty paces away, cut off from the trueblade by a mass of enemy soldiers._

_He was a man who was used to traveling alone, and thus the fact that his friends were not nearby was not terrifying... But the fact that this mass of silver knights were coming for his head was._

_As the enemy approached, he sprang forth, killing edge in hand, cutting down two knights before landing in the midst of them. With a yell, he jumped back and forth, using both his blade and his own two legs to lash out upon the foes that surrounded him. With most of the enemy's silver knights too arrogant to lower their helmet visors (or too naïve to think that Zihark's honor would keep him from using other weapons against his foes), the trueblade managed to break a few noses and even knock an enemy soldier unconscious with that move._

_But the trick could only be performed once, and the moment he landed Zihark heard the drawing of bowstrings. He was surrounded, with quite a few enemy silver knights aiming their bows at him. If he jumped, he'd take quite a few arrows to the chest. An attempt to spring forth would have him leap right into an enemy arrow. He was trapped, and his foes knew it._

_To think that they had an enemy veteran in custody! This was indeed a great day for the Confederacy... Now their pay would skyrocket!_

_But, unfortunately for them, a laguz moves ever faster than a beorc ever could._

_Relane pounced from a distance, having scampered towards Zihark's position the moment she entered Telgam. With her first pounce she tackled and cracked the collarbone of an enemy knight, and with a few more swings of her paw more foes went flying off their steeds. This gave Zihark the opportunity he needed to lash out, and im a matter of minutes both laguz and beorc annihilated the platoon that had trapped the trueblade._

As he pulled his sword out of his last kill, Zihark shook his head.

"I came here hoping to have peace come sooner, yet so many are dead and the war is at its worst. Will we face such resistance all the way to Sienne? I don't think I can bear the sight of more suffering, even if it's the enemy that suffers."

The laguz beside him remained silent. She had reverted back to human form, in order to conserve energy. Because of the bracelet in her hand, a demi band, she could revert back to beast form extremely quickly.

Zihark turned to her. "And thank you for coming to my aid... I would most definitely have been captured back there."

She blushed. "It's nothing..."

Zihark shook his head with a smile this time. Relane was always rather skittish.

"Zihark..." She muttered, catching his attention.

"Yes?"

"It's... It's nothing." She looked away.

"Relane..." He looked concerned.

"It's nothing! We should find the others... Lethe would be furious with me for not regrouping with her and the other Gallians... We... We really should..." She stammered.

He grabbed her arms before she could transform.

"Look at me."

She shivered.

"I... I did not expect you to rescue me so quickly... I know I treated you coldly earlier, but when I saw you that time I suddenly remembered the bitterness I felt when you rejected my proposal. I... I know you were not wrong for not wanting any harm to come between us, but... It hurts, Relane... It hurts, but I shouldn't have forced that pain upon you as well. You meant no ill from the beginning, and I'm sorry..."

Relane stopped squirming, and smiled.

"Zihark... I felt pain, too. I knew I shouldn't have been so selfish. Why should the prying eyes of the other laguz matter when you're the one I love? But... I was a coward, and so I left you in the cold..."

"Relane... It's over, now. When this war is over, let's get married."

"Zihark!"

He looked at her questioningly.

"... It's not that. You know my answer. I will not run away again... But our friends need us now. Our little distraction here could prove fatal for any one of them."

He embraced her with a smile. "Then let's go."

_She blushed, and smiled as well._

* * *

The motions of war were much like the motions of farming, Nepheene realized.

An enemy soldier was like a stalk of wheat, and like a scythe a spear could easily cut down that wheat.

But as she hacked another few soldiers down, she realized her error and shook her head.

Wheat doesn't bleed. It doesn't scream as it falls to the floor. It can't recite the name of a loved one just before it hits the ground.

But a person does.

She began to shiver as she held her spear. What had this war turned her into? She was not a machine with which to kill people... She was a person too...

And she had to stay a person... That was her only option. Failure would surely have her collapsing on the floor, writhing in agony. She had to stay human.

* * *

Twirling his lance, Tauroneo slammed it into the chest of a charging gold knight.

Nearby, Lethe tackled an enemy crisis knight to the ground, and tore at his face with her claws. She was far too disgusted to clean herself after the kill, and only growled out so that her veteran comrade could hear her.

"Humans... They are so weak and frail... They sicken me..."

"Compared to a laguz's bulk, we may very well be frail, but give us a lance or even a bow, and it is the laguz who must cower in fear." He chided.

She hissed. "Are you insulting me, beorc?"

"If that's what it would take to beat down your pride, then yes, Lethe, I am."

"I... You are right. I still slip even now. I try to control myself but the thought of these... These mislead beorc makes me sick."

"But they are just that, Lethe. They have been mislead by Lekain and some of them by years of the perversion of Daein's education system. Never assume that they cannot be guided to the truth."

"You speak like a child, General. What makes you think this 'perversion' can ever change?"

"If it cannot change, then why are you standing here beside me, Lethe of Gallia? Why do you stand beneath the banner of the Coalition? Don't give me that disgusting speech. You and I stand here as proof that there is hope for the life of Tellius. Never forget that."

Lethe blinked. She had nothing to say to that indeed.

* * *

The self-appointed commander of Telgam's defending army found his jaw drop when he watched the sheer number of casualties on his side. It was as though a group of tigers found themselves among a rabble of stags. Stags may have sharp horns and hard feet, but these are worth little compared to the claws and worser jaws of tigers. (2.) No matter how hard stags fight, they still get slaughtered by the most ferocious of tigers.

Relane, a laguz who had little military training, was more than a match for six or seven sentinels on her own. With Telgam's forces having limited personnel, the fact that a lone Coalition warrior could take down so many soldiers alone was not helpful for their morale. They simply did not have the manpower to rush upon their foes in the ocean formation. To ask that of their men was impossible, and yet they had few other options. Against a tireless, mighty opponent, what should one do?

"All units! Fall back! We'll use the tower as our staging ground! Let them take the city... There's not much they can do with it once we've moved our supplies to the tower's top floor. Fall back, now!" The sentinel called, hoping that enough troops would obey him and retreat into the spire.

Only a few troops were smart enough to answer the call, however. Since the tower was made of stone, it could not be burned down, thus forcing the Coalition to follow their foes into it. Because most of Telgam's supplies had been sent to the tower, the Coalition could not hope to stay in Telgam for long without having to call for supplies from Crimea or Tanas, which would take forever to arrive and might very well be ambushed by enemy fliers. Therefore, their only chance was to storm the tower.

Unfortunately for the Confederacy, the vast majority of their troops were heavily demoralized, either surrendering to the Coalition outright or fleeing to the East where the Confederate capital of Sienne was located. As one could imagine, Lucia finished off fleeing enemy troops before they could inform Lekain of their defeat.

Soren was well aware of the danger that lay within that tower. Enemies could hold multiple chokepoints from where they could pick off weaker comrades who tried to storm them. He would need to carry only the best of veterans into the tower, and with their support he had to liberate floor after floor.

With Elincia and Sanaki debating who should move forward and seize this chance for glory, the final thrust to liberate Telgam for good came underway.

* * *

1. No, Ike isn't really a knight, but he pretty much is treated like one at this point.

2. A stag is an adult male deer.


	27. Toppling a Giant

Chapter 27: Toppling a Giant

The door to Telgam's spire flew open as Sanaki practiced her mastery of Elwind upon it.

The Coalition's chosen platoon inched into the tower, knowing that the conquest of what seemed to be a simple structure would certainly bring hope to the citizens of Begnion that the Empire could be saved. After all, if the Citadel of Telgam was in Coalition hands, there were few fortresses close to that strength baring its path.

Micaiah stepped in first, knowing that she risked getting arrowed the moment she walked in, and found the first floor rather dark. She immediately fired a Thani spell in front of her, and waved for Volke and Sothe to rush to her before she could get captured. Thankfully, the spell blinded a few advancing enemy thieves, who had hoped to rob her blind and cut her down with their knives. The spell also blinded a nearby Marksman, who would have provided those thieves with supporting fire.

Tormod and Muarim came in moments afterwards, and the young fire sage began to provide his comrades with the light they needed. Having had more experience than Micaiah with such matters, his magic could outdo any torch, and he could afford to use that magical energy without being unable to fight.

As she heard Tormod's flames, Sanaki smirked. The fire that sprang from his palms was a tiny flare compared to the scorching oblivion that was Cymbeline. She strolled into the tower, with Sigrun and Tanith hastily following suit.

Soren and Lucia sprinted in, with Dalia charging in after them and Tauroneo clanking forward in the rear. With Rolf supporting Tauroneo, and Jill, Haar, Ike, Geoffrey, Elincia, and Tibarn entering, they had quite a strong cast of veterans.

The bottom floor had two sets of stairs going upwards, showing the sheer size of Telgam's tower. Ike and Elincia gathered a team to go for one set, while Sanaki and Tibarn formed the other team. Though Ike was his brother, and Geoffrey was about to be his brother-in-law, Soren felt it best to join Sanaki's group, with Lucia naturally following him, thinking along the same lines.

Micaiah, feeling that Ike would need that fire support, decided to head with the Crimean hero along with her majesty Elincia. Geoffrey ran off to help Elincia, and Tormod brought Muarim along to support Sanaki. Dalia, Rolf, and Tauroneo went with Ike, while Jill and Haar decided to join Tibarn, and so the two groups split off, each hoping to surprise the enemy from two flanks.

* * *

However, just when Ike reached the bottom of the steps he was assigned to climb, he heard the flapping of wings.

"I will _not_ be left to watch while you go on your way. I'm supporting you, and that's final!" Reyson hissed.

Vika groaned. Tibarn and Tormod had thought it best to have her serve as Reyson's new guard, and she had agreed figuring that it would be an easy job... Now she wanted to hit herself for being so wrong.

"We lack fliers, so it would be nice to have you two support us. Master Reyson's galdr would be especially helpful." Tauroneo commented.

Dalia shrugged her shoulders and turned to Elincia, who was no doubt the main authority of their team.

"We definitely would be augmented well with your help. Thanks for coming, Reyson, Vika."

"It's nothing..." Vika shook her head with an annoyed look.

"No need to thank me... I'd feel chided if I hadn't come along." Reyson fluffed his feathers.

* * *

As the warriors within Telgam's tower ascended the tower's floors, their comrades also found it necessary to draw their arms.

"Enemy troops have surrounded us! I don't think we can wait for Soren and the others... We'll need to formulate a counterplan quickly." Janaff muttered.

"I think it's best to improvise, at this point." Ranulf groaned loudly.

"You seem to forget that I am here." Zelgius spoke with a straight face. "Ranulf, it may be best for you to gather teams to guard the other three gates. I alone will protect the eastern one."

"Most of the enemy will be coming from that direction... Are you sure that you'll be fine?" Janaff raised an eyebrow.

Zelgius laughed. "There's really no need for you to worry."

Skrimir growled. "No matter how proud you are, beroc, you'll be alone. Enemy troops could skim past you if they had enough numbers. I'll go smash a few of their skulls in too."

"That's more like it..." Janaff gulped, while Ranulf just shrugged.

* * *

The horde descended upon the citadel.

Their yells shattered the virgin silence of the night.

The screams of skewered beorc and the roars of scorned laguz filled the air as Coalition and Confederate troops wrangled for control of Telgam.

Yet, Ike and Tibarn tore through the remaining troops in the tower, and when they reached the top, they were blinded by a flash of violet...

* * *

**And now for something rather important:**

I'm getting exhausted, you guys.

I apologize deeply to anyone who might be reading this still, but I am a human being.

Human beings face fatigue at some point. It's a pain in the arse, but it exists. Don't deny that.

I have parts of the next chapter already written, and more parts of a chapter after that, and the titles for each chapter after this one, but I can't seem to fill in the holes easily enough.

I hate whiners, so I'll make this short.

It's boring when you're controlled by Canon, when you realize that you have to keep these characters that other people own in character, and that you have to make your newly created characters get along with already established ones.

That's why I signed up for Nanowrimo (National Writing Month), because I can write an original tale with original people, and I don't need to be limited by someone else's work.

I admit, Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn isn't a bad game. Voice acting is not an uncommon flaw. The only quip I have is the Support Conversations and the Characterization that tends to arise from them, but Shadow Dragon urinated on those two, so Radiant Dawn is honorable in comparison to that.

So, if you will, let me tell you the gist of what happens after this:

Bob's Faction, the Elder's Guild, reveal themselves after the Battle of Telgam. Led by Johan, a Dark Acolyte, their goal is to make the use of Elder Magic legitimate again throughout Tellius.

They lead two paths after one becomes a Druid. The Path of the Dark Acolyte, who master Wind and Fire magic along with Dark Magic and Staves in order to research how Anima and Elder magic can cooperate in nature, and The Path of the Necromancer, who master knives (ritual sacrifice) and thunder magic (think Frankenstein) to research how to perfect their studies of Dark Magic and the eerie nature of the Elder School. (Necromancers, naturally, also know how to use Staves as well as the obvious Dark Magic.)

Izuka was a Necromancer who betrayed the Guild, stole the forbidden Tome Balberith, and who continues the stereotype that Elder Magic users are pure evil, so the Elder's Guild wants him dead.

They sent Bob to check in on the Coalition and to have him kill off Izuka. Veyona, a Druid boss from Radiant Dawn, is another Guild Agent in Crimson Arrows. He fights Izuka and gets killed off relatively easily.

If this were a game, Bob could choose between the two paths in a branched promotion, kind of like how in Sacred Stones Knoll could become a Druid or a Summoner.

After the Elder's Guild gives all mages an additional Rex tome based on their highest Magic Skill Level (like Soren would get a free Rexcaliber, Sanaki would get a free Rexflame, Rhys gets a Rexaura, Bob gets a Rexnight, etc... And Johan also gives Bob Gelipnir, telling him to be _very_ careful with him, yes the Tome's a "he"), the Coalition marches on Seliora.

Alviss is in Seliora, and Sigrun becomes unable to fight because she can't face Alviss in combat.

The backstory is that the two are childhood friends, but Alviss chose to stay in the Confederacy when Sigrun left because he did not want the commoners to face Lekain's brutality.

If Zelgius or Sanaki talks to him, or if Ike has an Info conversation with Sigrun and beats Alviss senseless himself (kind of like how you recruit Shinon in Path of Radiance), Alviss will join the Coalition. Alviss's main lieutenant Brutei, a Sentinel who actually defeats Boyd in a cutscene, becomes an NPC like General Tagio.

With Alviss as part of the Coalition, they make their final push towards Gaddos, but notice that Gaddos is under attack by Izuka's army. Feeling betrayed that Lekain hasn't handed him a single reinforcement since the attack on Nebula, Izuka decides to backstab Lekain when he needs him most and send his forces to conquer Gaddos.

Soren advises to let both armies waste each other on Gaddos, while the Coalition falls back to Telgam to prepare a final strike. Caineghis arrives with Giffca (if he "died") to help in the final fight.

In Nebula, Micaiah's team mobilizes. Soren is chief strategist. Tauroneo is their main commanding officer. Elincia is technically Head of State even though Micaiah/Nolan/Tauroneo represent the Daein Liberation Army.

In Seliora, Sanaki's team mobilizes. Bastian is chief strategist. Zelgius is their main commanding officer (in Crimson Arrows The Black Knight is officially dead, or Zelgius just doesn't want to tell and blow the late Sephiran's cover, and Ranulf doesn't want to screw everything up by having Ike attack a crucial ally.) Tibarn is also in this unit as well.

Obviously, Coalition Veterans beside those listed (Geoffrey and Sothe with Elincia and Micaiah, Sigrun, Alviss, and Tanith with Sanaki, and other in character groupings nonwithstanding) choose their respective force, and both teams head out.

As they capture Nevassa, Soren confronts Izuka, who recognizes Soren's mark and reveals his true identity. Though Soren believes that his allies will betray him the moment they know who he really is, in reality none of them change their positions. Lucia remains by his side, as always, and there's an additional scene: If Titania, Lethe, Muarim, Zihark, or Shinon are on the field, they make a supportive speech baesd on their relationship with Soren. Titania talks about how Soren was a jerk but always kept his true colors as a Greil Mercenary. Lethe growls about how she hated Soren when they first met, but later came to respect him, and she would never trust the word of Izuka over anyone else, especially not over Soren's. Muarim talks about how Soren is a good man who went through hell, and there's no need for Izuka, the geunine Bastard that he is, to make Soren's life any harder for him. Zihark just scoffs and says that Izuka has no right to say anything since he's the true evil they've all decided to face. If multiple are deployed then a random one is chosen to speak.

**(Note: I like making this sound like a Gamefaqs walkthrough. :P)**

Shinon goes: "I always knew that there was something wrong with that whelp. Still, if you made me choose between a slimy sub-human raper (Feral One Drugs are basically rape), or a quarter-breed who's always been there when we've needed him, there's no need for me to think. Let me feather you first, then I can feel queasy about knowing what that whelp really is later."

In Sienne, Sanaki's team cuts through the streets of the city, and reach the Tower of Guidance. Only a small group (12 units) enter the Tower of Guidance, with Zelgius, Ike, Sanaki, Sigrun, Tanith, and Alviss as required units. The other six volunteer to join them. Numida dies at Sienne's main gate while Valtome dies at the Tower of Guidance's entrance. Naesala appears but will regret his decision once Sanaki beats him senseless and will be selectable upon entry to the Tower of Guidance. Again, if this were a game, the loss of any one unit forces the player to start from the beginning of the floor.

After each floor, two units leave the party to guard their rear. This continues until the beginning of the final fifth floor. (A cutscene shows Alviss and Zelgius telling the remaining four units of Ike, Sanaki, Sigrun, and Tanith to go ahead while they make sure that the reinforcements that the Confederacy continues to Warp in will be stopped.)

With only four warriors left, Ike, Sanaki, Sigrun, and Tanith are the last playable units in the final mission (Chronologically, Team Daein's conquest of Nevassa's streets starts first, then you have four floors of Begnion, then the cutscene with Alviss and Zelgius, then Team Daein's final mission to kill Izuka, then the FINAL mission of Sanaki and her lone squad.)

Once Izuka dies, Sanaki's in for a surprise.

The last of the Confederacy's honor guard stands before the four of them, with Lekain and Hetzel beyond that. If Alviss was rescued, then Hetzel can be recruited via talking with Sanaki (Hetzel will not attack Sigrun, Tanith, or Sanaki initially (AKA if they don't hit him first), but Ike's fair game.) 10 of each type of Confederate Unit (Saint, Seraph Knight, Marshal, Archsage, Sentinel) warps in every turn. In the first three turns, that means that the enemy gets 150 units that you have to finish off along with their initial fifty. Yes, this fic would be a Nintendo Hard game. But they're low level third tiers (at least the first five turns are) while you're maxed out at level 60. Thou shalt not complain.

After surviving for three turns, the Elder's Guild arrives with Johan (playable, maxed stats in almost everything with Magic starting at 50), and comes with 5 Dark Acolytes, 5 Necromancers, and 10 Druids. Now that Izuka's dead they're free to emerge and show what's right. These numbers of Guild troops continue to arrive per turn, and are Partner Units, making the battle not as difficult when you've got meatshields to help hold off the enemy, Meatshields that can heal.

When Two-Thirds of his forces have been wiped out, Lekain attempts to use Yune's power to become great, and the cutscene reveals Leanne's beaten form behind him, holding the Medallion. Lekain snatches the Medallion from her and becomes UBER Lekain, with the same glowing eyes as Berserk Ashnard. If Hetzel is still alive on the enemy's side, he joins immediately regardless of Alviss's recruitment out of sheer fear once he realizes what he's done.

At this point, only Sanaki can legitamately kill Lekain. If anyone else does he gets revived with full HP and receives a damage output boost because he's totally pissed.

Once Lekain falls, the battle's lost and won.

All couples get together. Soren/Lucia and Muarim/Lyre being the default couple at this point. Oscar/Astrid, Tauroneo/Titania, Ike/Tanith, Alviss/Sigrun, Sothe/Micaiah, Geoffrey/Elincia, and others also show up as well since this is a fic and not a video game no matter how I advertise it like one.

Elincia makes a joke about breeding Strategists. Geoffrey and the others aren't amused.

* * *

WEAPON RANKINGS LIST:

Dark Magic Tiers:

E: Flux (A violet orb appears before the user, then a dark circle appears and sweeps along the ground to the enemy, then the orb sinks into the ground and reemerges in front of the enemy, smashing into him/her and exploding violently.)

D: Gespent (Purplish acidic clouds ram into the enemy. A circle must form under the enemy first, making this spell much slower than Luna.)

C: Luna (Magic circle(s) appears on enemy(ies). Violent beams and orbs of dark energy strike enemy repeatedly. High chance of vaporizing important blood vessels and organs (aka high crit chacne.)

B: Eclipse (Magic circle appears under enemy. Gigantic violet yet black orb crashes into enemy, and stays there for several seconds as it eats the enemy's flesh.)

A: Fenrir (Magic circle appears under enemy. Violet beams and orbs fly from above and crash into the enemy, followed by a wave of acidic purple clouds that slam into the enemy's face.)

S: Ereshkigal (A gigantic magic circle appears under the enemy. This is followed by a meteor shower of black orbs, a "rain" of dark beams of energy, and a final gigantic orb that crashes into the enemy from directly above their heads.)

Omega: Rexnight (Dark beams trap the enemy, springing from above ground and all around them. Thousands of shapes created by dark energy appear from underground and strike the enemy, followed by a final piercing beam from above that tears through the enemy's spine.)

Special: Gelipnir (Tome of Vengeance) (A large magic circle appears under the enemy. From underneath the enemy, dark arms and hands grab them and make them immobile. This is followed by an Ereshkigal like parade of dark magic that strikes the foe, ending with an Eclipse like orb crashing into the enemy and eating the enemy's flesh. To finish this off, a huge beam of dark energy shoots upward and vaporizes everything caught within it. As the body is wiped clean and the soul tries to escape, a long arm with a big hand grabs the soul and drags it off to hell. This tome will attack anyone who harms the innocent, even if it has no user as long as the criminal is in range, and if it is used against an innocent person it will kill its user. The tome is known for absorbing vengeful souls to boost its power, hence its name, yet it releases them once its vengenace is fulfilled. Created by Johan, it's purpose is to bring a form of cruel justice to the world. Villains, crooks, and wrongdoers, beware. The Well Intentioned Extremist Tome is here to kill you all.)

Forbidden: Balberith (Tome of Fury, also known as Death's Grasp) (Dark acidic clouds cover the foe's vision, and a gigantic dome filled with dark energy appears, trapping the enemy inside. The dome will slowly condense until the dark energy crushes the victim inside. Few have survived this horrifying tome.)

Light Magic Tiers:

E: Light

D: Shine (Similar to Path of Radiance's Shine. Spears of light skewer the enemy from twenty directions.)

C: Nosferatu

B: Purge

A: Aureola (Huge Ball of Light smashes into the enemy, with about fifty beams following and ramming the enemy into the ground. Alviss starts out with this tome.)

S: Luce (Light beams spring up from the ground to surround one enemy, then a gigantic one comes down from the heavens and vaporizes the enemy. If he/she's still alive after this, they're either a boss or just lucky enough to have ridiculously high RES.)

Omega: Rexaura (Huge Ball of Light crushes enemy. Plasma begins to swirl around the enemy and glows extremely brightly. The enemy slowly gets burned to death. Basically an Aureola with a smaller radius but more focused attack. Larger radius than Luce, however.

Special: Ivaldi (Tome of Trust) (Dozens of light spears hit the enemy first, followed by light beams from the heavens that fry anything in their wake, then several gigantic light balls (think Aureola) smash into the enemy, then light beams pummel them to the ground, then survivors are surrounded by plasma and burn. If anything's still alive, run, because it's definitely invincible! This tome can only be used by Micaiah. If used against an innocent person it will refuse to function. When the Coalition marches towards Nevassa, Tomenami appears running after them and gives Micaiah this legendary tome.)

Unique: Thani (Tome of Purity) (Same as Radiant Dawn version)

Mixed Light/Dark: Valaura (Tome of Praise) (Same as Radiant Dawn version. The purplish hue of the spell reveals the dark, acidic cloud magic mixed in with the light.)

The Three Schools of Anima Magic:

Wind School:

E: Wind

D: Elwind

C: Arcwind

B: Blizzard

A: Gale (think Excalibur from Fire Emblem's 8 or 11, otherwise think Green Hurricane... Tornado is a higher tier only because it is a focused attack.)

S: Tornado

Omega: Rexcalibur

Fire School:

E: Fire

D: Elfire

C: Arcfire

B: Meteor

A: Char (Think Foreblaze from Fire Emblem's 6 or 7. Otherwise think Fire raining from the heavens.)

S: Bolgagone (Higher tier because it is far less predictable. (Who would expect the ground to give way and fry you to death?))

Omega: Rexflame

Thunder School:

E: Thunder

D: Elthunder

C: Arcthunder

B: Bolting

A: Shock (A series of thunderbolts rains on the opponent. Meant to be a stronger variant of Arcthunder that is more unpredictable.)

S: Thoron

Omega: Rexbolt

Basically, when it comes to Anima, A level Magic is a lesser tier than S level magic only because in most situations, A level is not as effective at wiping out certain targets. In terms of raw strength, both are quite comparable.

For example, Tornado can take down commanders and disrupt formations. Gale only tears single formations apart. Disrupting formations can leave terrorized survivors that can demoralize the enemy, or kill officers and thus allow you to recruit individual soldiers. Char is just not as unpredictable, and Shock is just an amped Arcthunder while Thoron can trap foes in its swirling lightning.

Wind Special: Smack (Fist of Aeolus) (Soren's trademark tome. Huge blast of concussive air hits enemy like a cannon and tears through all enemies that are in its way for quite a long distance, depending on Soren's magical reserves and the amount of energy he put into it.)

Fire Special: Cymbeline (Ashera's Fiery Wrath) (Sanaki's trademark tome. Huge meteor smashes into the enemy like a nuke, killing anything caught in the blast.

Thunder Special: Torpadine (The Sparks of Science) (Lekain's trademark tome. Unlike other Saints he can use Thunder magic. Mix Rexbolt and Shock together and add more sparkly goodness along with a series of chain lightening that rams into the foe in the shape of an electric stingray (Torpadine).)

I might elaborate on the summary by adding chapters, or I might not. Depends on my mood. This is my final Fire Emblem fic and I thank you for reading it thus far. Farewell?

_Fin?_


End file.
